Saber Marionette J to U Revival
by MegaAuthor
Summary: Took place right after the event of Saber Marionette J to X; with the Neo-Mesopotamia destroyed and Otaru are reunited with Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry in child form, a new enemy from old Earth came to take back the planet inhabitants.
1. Megaauthor Primal Note

Saber Marionette J to U; Revival

Author's note; First Off, I would like to apologize for the sudden deletion of this fic. Those who have been following this series thus far both fanfiction members and non members alike knew that certain sacrifice is required. The entire fic is deleted, but at the same time, revived as well. I am in need to start a fresher new look with my story telling which has been improve from the past 5-6 years. Because my undying love of Saber Marionette series like Luvweaver before me, I will continue my previous work from these amazing 90's anime which once captured my heart (and properly further influence me to anime stuff. Move aside G.I. Joe and Transformer, the world of anime is here to take over!)

I am not ashamed to tell you I felt in love with the series at first sight (rather quite literally) and had followed the series as best as possible. I even manage to get CD and DVD version of the show with English SUB (not dub, bleh) on the ongoing series. There are three series all together; Saber Marionette J, Saber Marionette J Again (OVA) and Saber Marionette J-to-X. I even got my hands on Saber Marionette R (in a bargain bin, rare to find some surviving antique in a bargain bin :3), which is a standalone series as well as its manga which is o sale for rather weighty price tag. I am however unable to get my hands on the figurine Lime (one of the main stream SMJ character) into my collection; she alone cost me a bomb! \(OAO)/

The story of SM J-to-U; Revival focus on the story right after the final episode of the SM J-to-X, and the title change is necessary because of several obvious reasons;

- It takes place after the event of the last series, and the Saber Girls are revived.

- This fic itself has resurrected, that means a lot for me T^T

-The 'U' stands for Union, the main new enemy of Terra II and their dreadful Bio-Mechs.

For those who is new; here is the closes preview I can stress out;

After Dr Hess brought Neo-Mesopotamia out of Terra II and the Saber Girl (who is on another impossible, one way ticket mission to stop Hess from exact revenge on Earth) the gigantic space ship wisp away back into the Solar System, where Dr Hess and the Saber Girls found the truth that had dreaded Dr Hess for 400 years of suffering before returning to Terra II. The Girls never reach back home due to the exterior damage and cause the Neo-Mesopotamia to self-destruct before reaching back to Terra II (the explosion accorded in warp space). Unknown to the inhabitant of Terra II or Dr Hess, when Neo-Mesopotamia re-enter the Solar System, small satellite just outside of Jupiter (where the Neo-Mesopotamia re-enters) pick up the massive ships as well as the set of coordinates where the ship originated. Earth government notified this discovery and immediately sends a military-scientific space vessel _Isimura_ to reach Terra II and govern the planet. Unfortunately, the planet itself is still not safe for space ferrying, and when _Isimura_ try to make planet fall, the electronic devices within the ship seize to function, causing the ship to crash land on Terra II near Romano. Using whatever technology the Union could salvage, they intend to return back to Earth by neutralizing the Plasma Shield which has been protecting Terra II from the high HV sun rays from burning this planet to charcoal. At this point, a defector escapes in an attempt to stop the Union by frying the planet. The Defector soon resurrected the Saber Girls as well as the recently deceased Otaru Mamiya, resurrected from the dead and in the body of a marionette body. After hearing the Defector's reasons, Otaru and his Saber Girls once again bear the burden to stop an unknown enemy from destroying the world.

This is as much preview as I can give. It really makes sense if you dive into the Saber Marionette world where human would colonize other planet other than their dying planet.

Wish me luck on this old, but fresh new start, and thank you all who supported the dying series up until now.

-MegaAuthor-


	2. 01 End to Beginning

Disclaimer: I like to thank Luvweaver and his SMJ Fanfics in the past, because of you (wherever you are right now, I wish you good health, man), you inspire me to look for an alternate ending for the SMJ franchise. Granted that the series has a happy ending, but it did not do much justice when the novel version did otherwise, with a sad, yet satisfying ending (The original SMJ novel is exclusively in Japan, though the book itself no longer available at any bookstore or no longer printed anymore, it is still conclusively worth mentioning). Because I have a short glimpse of each individual chapter from the Novel's summary, I find it hard to believe that the ending from the anime is different; the anime ends with the Saber girls are now human, while the Novel version however, the surviving marionette is Lime, and the main male character is now very old (so old in fact that the marionette who took care of him seemed content, yet at the verge of crying), though both ending have human female finally populate among male humans.

Yes, for those who have no idea what Saber Marionette series is, it's about a nation populated by MAN and female are MACHINE to compensate the lack of opposite sex. The world is so fuck-up that gay is a normal society and mating a machine girl is a crime… I have no idea how THAT could be a crime. I will also include a short summary of the important event from Saber Marionette J, Saber Marionette J Again and Saber Marionette J to X series before the main story starts, so to give a lighter situation before someone in the internet who have zero idea what Saber Marionette is, or they suddenly gives a rotten comment about gay fics… which I absolutely hate it!

Initially this fic should have adventure, romantic, comedy and science fiction, so I'm restricted to Sci-Fi/Humor.

Hmm… I guess I should change it to Sci-Fi/Romance or Sci-Fi/Drama… who knows?

Enough disclaimer; let's have this fic Revived already!

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><p><strong>Summary <strong>**SMJ Story Series thus far…**

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><p>In the far distant future, humanity and their advance technology left their home planet of Earth in search of new planet to colonized and escape from their overpopulated home world. From there, hundreds of space craft like vessels, with their greatest technological and ecosystem engineer embark to a world unknown, and have gone to the end of the universe, searching for a suitable world to call it their own. Mesopotamia, one such space craft vessel is among the great fleeting number in its long search. However, technical difficulties become problem, and all of its crew tried desperately to repair their craft before it is too late. Upon entering a nearby planet, the ship captain finally gave up their luck and attempt to abandon ship among its other staff.<p>

They did not make it out alive.

However, one escape pod manages to flee before the constant explosion eventually swallow Mesopotamia whole, but to their dismay, all of them are males. There were no female survivals.

Upon landing on the ragged planet dubbed Terra II, the six man desperately repopulate first; without the aid of human females to do so, they attempt to colonize the planet through cloning. Using whatever burned up technology that crashed onto this planet and improvise it, each of them works with sweat and blood in an attempt to at least clone a human, a generation of their own, a descendant. With their combine DNA and multiple breakthroughs, the cloning of a human being is a success. They now have little worries about dying on this ragged planet, now that their descendants are raise with advance knowledge of their previous worlds to carry on their work should any of them subdue to illness. Overtime, these six man were praised by their descendants not as gods, but the Original Human.

However, their story did not end there; because there is no female survivors, the six Original Human begin to feel fearful that later generation might not acknowledge of another opposite sex gender that they may not able to encounter for many, many years. In hope to preserve their physique being, and the female attractive figure, the six Original Humans also attempt to 'revived' them through the same cloning progress, but without sufficient female data and its DNA, it is almost impossible to perform it through cloning. Ieyasu the First, one of the Original Human, propose that instead of trying to create them through cloning, which they all knew it would be impossible, they should create them by building them as a sort of artificial intelligence automatons. All agreed, and went to work with the idea of creating female automaton being which is just as important as the human clones. It wasn't long when these Original Human manufactured female automaton to take its place for the absent of female humans. To some, they were called androids, dolls, robots, or puppet, though the Original Human strictly refers to these female automaton as Marionettes; a being that inherit no three laws of robotics.

300 years later, six cities colonize the planet of Terra II by human clones; all six of these city are named after the home world most famous city back on Earth, Japoness, New Texas, Romano, Gartland, Xi-an, and Peterburg. All six of these cities bear a leader, which has a close resembling of the Original Human, though slightly altered. In this future timeline, cities are bustling, some rose in power, some live in peace, while others simple shut their door from the world. Male human whom live here all their life on this planet care little where their previous home world was, little to say if any of them care about ever leaving this planet. One thing is certain however, is the diminishing role of the female automatons. Over the past 300 years, Marionettes become no more than a tool, much of a concern for those who live by the rules. Female Marionette continue to be produce just as quickly as manufacturing a good work of art, some were design as collective items, some were heavily modified for combat purposes. Majority of the population did not practice the same compassion, love and understanding these female automatons shared during the past 300 years, and as such, it was a dead culture to practice, some even shun getting a relationship with an emotionless machine. For a soulless, cold machine, the reason is rather straightforward.

However, one of many few people still believe that this Marionette should be cared, despite being a tool; Mamiya Otaru, a resident of the Akashi Apartment on Japoness believes firmly on that thought. People view him as a guy who sees a marionette as some kind of attractive species, and the young man defended that idea. It wasn't long when he stumbles upon a marionette with personality, a marionette who identified herself as Lime underneath the old Japoness Museum. Upon discovery, Otaru and the newfound marionette embark an adventure and journey many people would have only dreamed up with. It wasn't long before Otaru awaken two more marionettes with the same function as Lime, but different in terms of female personality; Cherry and Bloodberry, both on Japoness Castle, and both were given permission to allow the marionettes to stay with the young man by the Japoness leader. Eventually all three of these wonderful marionettes continue to try and win their hearts for their master; Lime is being too cheerful, and with a sunny smile, who couldn't? Cherry cooks like a pro, and rival even the best cook in Japoness, and Bloodberry tried to make Otaru her man… in a sexual approached. Nevertheless, these marionettes all have combat abilities as a default function as well, making them almost just as powerful as a fully modified marionette meant to take down a country.

It wasn't long when the Japoness Shogun (Emperor) told Mamiya Otaru the truth; all three 'special' marionettes are rare and hidden for a reason due to their substantial automaton hearts; the maiden circuit. The shogun explain to Otaru that their metallic hearts will grow in a steady rate, emulate that of a real woman and that will eventually become mature enough to revive a female human being. Otaru was taken aback when he heard about reviving the female human being. It was a very sensitive secret that was never being mention to the girls (which Otaru begins to show affection), a secret that has been kept for more than 300 years by the Original Ieyasu. When asked why the Shogun told him this sensitive secret, the once great leader of Japoness told the man that, the first Ieyasu did not have the heart to love an automaton, as his love for a single female still hangs heavily on him. The Original Ieyasu tried to convince the people that marionettes are meant to be equal when no one practice this ritual anymore. To the Shogun's eyes, Mamiya Otaru may well be the hope for the revival of female kind.

Not all are easy for Mamiya Otaru; in a faraway side of the world, Gartland declare war on all major cities; the leader, Gelhardt von Faust (or Faust for short) is determine to conquer and unite all nation under his banner. Eventually the Shogun advisor (the Shogun was injured during the peace treaty by Faust's deceiving act) propose a risky mission for Mamiya Otaru, to infiltrate Gartland and destroy its super computer that is responsible for Gartland's marionette soldiers movements, buying precious time for the Japoness and its other surviving leaders time to counter Faust war-machine. At first, Mamiya Otaru rejects the idea of going to war alongside the marionettes, but after many offers (he falls for being in a candy icon indulge photo, a rather popular culture in Japan even today), Mamiya Otaru set off a journey that not only mature his marionette more, but also learn more than he had bargain for.

Eventually, after his journey to disable the super computer, Mamiya Otaru learn that to revive the female human, it requires a sacrifice for the three maiden circuit in order to release a hostage on Mesopotamia named Lorelei, a human scientist left in stasis form deep inside the yet destroyed doom vessel for 300 years. It is also the reason why Faust become obsess on uniting the entire nation under his command; he believe that uniting the country and offer her his own maiden circuit (Faust also have 3 Saber Marionette, though unlike Otaru's these 3 unfortunate girls never reach maturity due to their leader's obsession over Lorelei and not his marionette) will eventually win her heart, but he cannot do so when his own Saber Marionette fail to mature with military training (love require a selfless act, not through military means) or when the entire army plan so hard failed miserable. To makes matters worse, the current Faust has inherit over 300 years' worth of memory, and due to the amount of those said memory, he became just as corrupt as his predecessor, only worst at each generation it pass through. The current Faust is being poison by his own recollection memories so hard that obtaining Lorelei through any means necessary is his only goal.

Faust almost got what he wants; by sending the Empress Marionette (a hideous monster with bear claw, tail and falcon wing cross with a marionette) in an attempt to steal the maiden circuit from Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry in an another open conflict. Though with the girls devices barely reach to its full potential, they were still no match against a monster with pure strength from the Empress. When Lime witness both her sisters maiden circuit been stolen (their bodies however were left untouched by the monster), she engage an ongoing battle even if it is a hopeless battle. Mamiya Otaru came to her rescue, despite not fairing any better. However, because of Mamiya Otaru arrival was selfless, Lime's Maiden Circuit eventually reaches full maturity, allowing her to fight back and steal her sister's circuit back and offer it to Otaru, where he then revived the other two marionettes that was down to from the count. Eventually all three Saber Marionette, with their full maturity Circuit brimming with energy won against the Empress. Faust that this point when to a berserk state, unable to believe his most powerful weapon to fail so miserably to the point where he would command just a handful of troops just outside of Japoness boarder to commence attack in an attempt to outright steal the maiden circuit which belongs to Mamiya Otaru.

But the girls Circuit maturity also alerted the still functional Mesopotamia, and upon detecting the three girls maiden with 100 percent maturity, the cripple, yet functional ship attack all 6 countries at random orbital bombardment. Mamiya and the girls, along with Faust and his marionettes (Faust at this point have no energy left to fight, or desire the circuit he so much desire to; he have given up on everything) run toward the basement of the Japoness castle where the Japoness Shogun (whose consciousness is now on a combat marionette named Tamasaburo) gives out an idea; in order to stop Mesopotamia and retrieve Lorelei, the three matured marionette needs to embark on a one-way trip to Mesopotamia, defeat its defenses and plant their matured 'hearts' into Mesopotamia as a replacement for Lorelei, escape using the escape pod and return to Terra II. Mamiya Otaru quickly object the idea, and tries to convince the Shogun that they must have another approached on disabling the Mesopotamia and rescue Lorelei without risking his three marionettes (at this, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry knew for sure that Otaru truly love all of them). After much heated conversation, the Shogun persuasively accepts Otaru's idea, (he did so by telling the girls he hated them if they insist on following him) and embark into space with the repaired Super Robot Japonessker combine with the Gartland's Salberberk (both war machine once dueled before Faust's second arrival) and flying towards the cripple spacecraft, while being hammered heavily by Mesopotamia's aerial cannon battery.

Despite his best to leave his girls on Terra II, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry make a last minute hijack by the Shogun order's, which Otaru forcefully scold them for their idiocy. It did not end there however; after a false accusation of 'incoming missiles', Otaru quickly jumped into action to board the turret command, only to have realize he is being tricked. Desperate to escape is inevitable allowing Lime and the others to say their farewell. Heartbroken and being lied to, Mamiya Otaru tried to break free, but his attempt is in vain. Confession were made, tears were shed, their heart ache to the brink of collapse; when his marionettes finally shows their true emotion how deeply involve their love for their master, Otaru couldn't help but to feel betrayed, calling them 'idiots' as the escape pod burst out and flies back to Terra II.

Lorelei is saved, despite the odds, the circuit is delivered, the bodies of Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry never returned and the human female Lorelei are made known. Despite all the celebration of the return of female kind, Otaru is the only sole human clone not celebrating; his hearts aches, his marionette were not returned and Lorelei, who apologize to him deeply were completely ignored.

However, the three marionette girls really did return.

The overjoyed Mamiya Otaru is… well, overjoyed to say the least. It is not known how they did it, or how Mesopotamia allowed them to return. It did not matter to Otaru at all. He is just glad the girls returned to him again.

Otaru and his marionette however isn't done with one adventure yet though; several days after their return, Lime stumble upon a marionette who is also equipped with Maiden Circuit. Living along with Tiger, Panther and Lush (three Saber marionette previously belong to Faust, their visit is merely momentarily as Faust give them orders to stay with Mamiya Otaru and matured), Otaru begin to have a second guess what to do with the seventh marionette in his home. Surprisingly, this unknown marionette came from New Texas, and to Lorelei's horror (both Otaru and Lorelei relationship is restored to friends after Lime and the others returned), the New Texas Saber Marionette has three Maiden Circuit installed instead of one. Marine, as she is being named later on, not only challenges Otaru with her unusual routine, but the girls new view for men AKA the opposite sex. It also challenges the leader of New Texas, who upon discovered their experimental unit has escape from her confine wants the secret to remain a secret. To hide from public humiliation, the leader send in Protozoid to locate Marine, a humanoid liquefied marionette like substance that can take any human form or form any weapon at will in order to destroy, and if necessary eliminate those who would protect the experimental unit.

Marine remain safe thanks to all six Saber Marionette protecting her, and the Protozoid, fearsome as they are were nothing more than watery goo when its weakness become apparent. When further examine by Lorelei and Faust, they discovered that she is meant to conflict the plasma catastrophe bestow upon this planet deep in the center of the planet, and just like the Saber Marionette last adventure, it was a one way ticket journey, meant specifically for Marine and her only. While Otaru and the girls had grew fond with Marine, upon learning another secret, he begin to question all those leaders if Marionette is nothing more than sacrificial lamb to the slaughter if not for their main purpose is to be a replacement for womankind. The leaders remain selfishly disclosed that marionette were merely tools, which not only enrage Otaru, but Faust and Lorelei as well.

Marine caught wind of the situation, and having full maturity (having three Maiden Circuit installed into her allows her to mature much faster than any known Saber Marionette), Marine is set to meet her maker. Lime objects the idea, and like Otaru before Lime, she felt betrayed when Marine acted on her own. She chases Marine down, down towards the center of the planet where the plasma electricity is no place for a normal marionette (Saber Marionette are highly allergic to Plasma Electricity), but strangely enough, Marine is immune to the effect. Lime desperately try to reach Marine out, tearfully asked her to stop whatever she is doing; the New Texas Saber Marionette ignored her, she instead neutralize the Plasma threat and fried her Maiden Circuit. Lime couldn't do anything but to watch as her body fell to the ground lifeless. The event scarred Lime perspective, and became afraid of death.

Even though the event happen just about a week or so, Lime and the others continue to remember Marine's selfless act; her body is carried to Japoness Castle where Lorelei promised them she will eventually repair Marine, along with whatever memory and personality that may have survive. Lime hold to that promise until today.

Eventually the event were left forgotten, and a new adventure for the Saber girls continue to tease them more; a fake Faust, manufactured by Dr Hess (the craze engineering professor who created the Empress Marionette) appear out of nowhere and has taken command all three marionette back and try to destroy Otaru and his Saber girls by making Lorelei his hostage. The fake Faust was so driven that all three of his marionette had a personality conflict wherever to either serve or abandon their master; Tiger begin to have second thoughts and on the verge of deleting all her memory about Faust, Panther ditch Faust when he shot her and Lush begin to speculate something is not right. Eventually when Mamiya Otaru and the girls battle with fake Faust again, rescuing Lorelei along the progress, the real one emerge, telling the fake one what he can remember besides his fuel of revenge; absolutely nothing. Blind with hatred, loss of his marionette command and detestation upon the original Faust, the fake one intend to kill him, claiming that there is only one Gelhardt von Faust allowed to live on Terra II; Faust agreed, and thus kill his fake version.

After the incident, Otaru has somehow won a contest of sort to Xi-an by sheer luck and all three embark on a new territory, the Xi-an capital. From there Mamiya Otaru has fallen sick and the girls desperately tried to find a cure, none of them knew it was a cunning trap device by Yan and Dr Hess. One by one each girls were kidnap and were made to fuel Dr Hess unknown plan. Tempering their circuit not only cause the entire facility (underneath Xi-an Castle) to explode, but also erases the girls memories about Mamiya Otaru. This also leaves them rather defenseless as their combat ability is no longer available. Scattered and without their previous memory, the girls randomly embark on a quest to self-discovery, while Otaru were not only branded as a terrorist, but also left heart-broken upon discovered that Lime and the other no longer remember him. Despite being taken aback, he is determining to bring back the girls memory even in death.

Otaru's wishes were too good to be true.

Upon discovered that Otaru had made physical contact with his girls, Yan send in three heavily modified combat marionettes to ensure that the girls either don't remember who Otaru is, or outright kill the marionette at all. This allows all three marionettes to witness the selfless man from Japoness to fiercely protecting them even though they have no idea who he was. Lashes after lashes, punishment after punishment, Mamiya Otaru continue to defend the three marionettes without taken a break, and when Otaru no longer could take another punishment, all three girls' memory revived, allowing them to quickly protect the dying Mamiya Otaru. Upset and furious were the keyword, as Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry outright destroy the all three heavily modified marionette without a sweat, and Yan was send to prison for false accusation (he accuse Mamiya Otaru for destroying the underground facility) by the Emperor of Xi-an. Dr Hess was not found.

Despite all that had happen, Mamiya Otaru, nursing in the hospital begin to have second thought about the girls he cared the most, and after he gives a total consideration…

He left Xi-an by train, without telling his marionettes.

He firmly believe that his marionette would be more happier if they all stay in Xi-an, away from him, who he sees himself as a danger magnet of sort; everywhere he goes, danger will always be there, and those danger are always directed to his most cared marionettes. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, caught wind by their masters action tried to catch up with him, but in their shattered heart, Otaru simple ignored them.

Heartbroken and betrayed, the marionette who had always loved their masters feel empty, cold and confuse; why did he left? Why did he do such a thing? Why didn't he at least say something? All three marionettes cried, seeking answers that they already knew.

This is what Dr Hess wanted all along.

Unknown to Mamiya Otaru, or the girls, Otaru once again played right into Dr Hess's plans. Having their master abandon the three heartbroken marionettes, Dr Hess goes to work, lying to them that Mamiya Otaru desires a human female, a true woman in his life. Cherry and Bloodberry were not fooled by the mad doctor's words, but Lime who is desperately want Otaru by her side, believed Dr Hess. Cherry and Bloodberry forbid her from seeking out Dr Hess, but Lime, who only see Otaru in her eyes, and her love for him still remain strong moved to find Hess. She betrayed the two sisters, standing firmly at Dr Hess's side, completely give in to Dr Hess's plan. Faust, who had forcefully stop the train that carries multiple passenger, including Mamiya Otaru told the man from Japoness how stupid he was to fall into Dr Hess's plan. Both men argue, and eventually Faust gives Otaru a beating; a wake-up call so to speak, telling Otaru that his action is no better than Faust older self.

With no one to challenge and no one to stop his plan, Dr Hess happily extract the needed information from Lime, telling her that he need all the necessary information from her and from Mesopotamia in order to create a human body meant for her into the center of the machine. Before she could complete however, Bloodberry and Cherry bust through Dr Hess's hidden laboratory (thanks to Faust, who give this information willingly) in an attempt to stop Lime. Lime, who still believes in Dr Hess's words, asked them to rethink about the event; the reason why Otaru abandon them, the reason why they were no more than automaton with souls, all that just to convince her sisters that being human is what Otaru wants.

Bloodberry's answer came rather swift; tearing the machine up violently as Lime watch helplessly as she witness her older sister destroy the machine meant for her to become human.

It wasn't long when Dr Hess emerges after Bloodberry destroyed the console, telling them all the painful truth; he has no intention on turning any of them to humans, nor does he intent to allow them all to unite with their master in the first place. All Dr Hess wanted was their Mesopotamia access code, so he could travel back to Earth and destroy the Original Human's home world for abandoning him. This puzzles the marionette, and before long, they all once again pull themselves together and attempt to save the world again, but only this time, they knew it would the last adventure they will depart.

Before they all depart and face down Dr Hess, Mamiya Otaru, the man who betray their love arrive a little too late, and only have time to see them depart on another one way ticket mission. Though despite their painful reunion, Otaru didn't really give up on them; he only wanted them to feel safe in Xi-an, away from him, but it turns out the other way around. The girls forgave their master, cheering him up just a little. Kind words were exchange, their happy face renewed and after one last goodbye, Lime asked which of them would Otaru married if they ever came back. The distance between them were fairly far-off to be heard for a human ear to hear what Otaru had to say, but despite such a distance, Lime got an answer; she smiles as she and her sister embark to face off Dr Hess…

Inside the unknown ship, which Dr Hess calls it Neo Mesopotamia, Dr Hess reveal the truth; the Original Humans were not the first human to set foot on Terra II, rather it was Dr Hess, 100 years earlier with a space vessel craft known as the Frontier. After many years of waiting, Dr Hess came into conclusion that the Frontier and its crew had abandon him, and had fuel a desirable revenge most fitting for such a betraying act; he wish to destroy Earth by crashing landing this craft with a titanic Apocalypse-Class Nuclear bomb (a weapon meant to take down planets) set to countdown. The three girls eventually enters into battle…

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><p><strong>Saber Marionette J to U; Revival<br>****Chapter 01: Ends to Beginning**

It is strange… all of us knew that we won't make it through this wormhole, the hope which we all cling to is but a void… and yet my maiden circuit is burning up, burn with passion and anticipation after what we have manage to accomplished. We stop Dr Hess and his plan to exact revenge on Earth, we saw the beautiful homeworld of Man in the display, thanks to Dr Hess's illusionary image of Earth, much prettier than on Terra II, and we manage to convince Dr Hess to steer the Neo Mesopotamia around with the true that he wasn't abandon, but not before the asteroid field around the planet Cherry called Saturn damage the ship we are on. Alarm blaring about, very noisy with red light flashing about; we all three ignored it. We did Dr Hess one last favor, an honorable favor before he died, knowing the truth which brought us all here. He died smiling, not because his revenge is complete, or he finally make us look like a fool; it was him who he had fooled himself to, lying to himself that no one tried to safe him, who stranded on Terra II for 400 years, 100 years before humanity found this planet we all called home. He asked us to do things what he had initially believed to be his daughter, wife and mother, and deep in our heart… Maiden Circuits, we acknowledge it with a firm, heavy answer. He finally saw the light; a ray of lights which he spoken up to identified us before he pass on.

We tried to set the timer off, but it was no use; the timer still counting down, and Cherry believe that the entire ship is its timer, tampering it will destroy the ship sooner, so she had an idea to set it off during warp. Bloodberry and I agreed, though I have no idea how it works. As the dark void space with its beautiful stars gone and the glimmer of light shower onto the screen, all I can think of is Otaru.

And yet here I am, along with Cherry and Bloodberry, looking on the bridge as we set course back to Terra II, in high hope as we look forward at meeting with Otaru again, even though in reality...

We won't be seeing him again... Forever.

"Cherry… Bloodberry…" I begin, with heavy heart, "…I sorry about this."

Bloodberry and Cherry looked at me; they too feel sad, but at the same time, happy, "…oh, stop with that." Bloodberry answered

"We will always be together," Cherry answered as well, slightly nodding.

Both of them acknowledge my mistake… a mistake for tearing my sister's heart, and yet they did not feel angered by my action.

We're sisters after all; we were all born the same way, equipped with the same device that had given us a human soul in this machine body, and with the same love of a human. To some, we are the most fortunate sisters ever lived, even though we are no more than simple machines. An image from our previous adventure surfaced, faster than words could describe, each adventure seems unique, strange and painful, and yet it will not change who we are. Our memories will not be tarnish, nor will our love to a man named Mamiya Otaru be diminished. In the end…

"…It was fun." I answered to myself.

"Yeah, it sure was," Bloodberry reply, an answer perhaps related to whatever I had in mind; she has the familiar smile of accomplishment she always have.

"All thanks to Otaru" I replied.

"Yes," Cherry agreed, "We owe so much for Master Otaru."

Bloodberry turn, with a soft smile looking at me, "Tell me, Lime?"

"What?" I asked

"What is it you want to do most now?" she questions me, not caring if the bomb in this ship will be exploding any second now.

Not that I cared.

"Well, I want to have a long afternoon nap…" I reply, totally ignoring the bomb as well, "…On the tatami floor in our apartment back home."

Bloodberry and Cherry didn't reply; they must have felt the same too, being at home with Otaru is much better than any other idea people may came up with. To me, all I care now is to see him, even if my final function were to seize, or by some sheer luck we all get out alive and active, my only thought was Otaru and our home. As the timer finally reaches zero, I, Program1 Virtual Character JSM-01L Lime, have no regret.

"Otaru…" I said to myself, fighting the tears in my eyes, "…maybe I finally become a human being…"

We all have.

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><p><strong>Three<strong>** years later… Japoness, Akashi Apartment**

"Lime!" a voice called aloud, "Come here this instant!"

"Hai!" little Lime reply, giggling and laugh as she run towards the familiar voice. She arrive at the living room, with than man obviously looked angry, pointing at the doodle on the wall.

"How many times must I tell you?" the voice said with authority, "Don't draw on the wall, if you must, just draw on a piece of paper!"

"Haiyo!" little Lime reply, sunny smile mark across her face.

"Haiyo isn't an answer Lime…" the man slap on his forehead, sigh aloud.

It has been three years since Neo Mesopotamia is destroyed while still within the Warp space, releasing what appears to be an ambiance light that races down to Terra II. Little did Mamiya Otaru know is how true to Dr Hess words meant when he said they were the ray of lights; during Dr Hess last moment before he draw his final breath, he scan the girls, deep into their electronic brain and their maiden circuit, including their figure into data like ambiance streaming this information big enough, and strong enough to survive the warp space detonation. These lights find its way into Mt. Fuji where Dr Hess hid the female cloning device, transferring alternate data, physical appearance, body statistics and most importantly, their memories into the clone female babies. Essentially, the girls never died, they were merely reborn.

Deeply emotional Mamiya Otaru erupt in tears when three babies hidden in the cave welcome him with a series of goo and gaga, with a short whisper of 'Welcome home' of his own. He cried, embracing them all, cuddling and patting them with tearful reunion, his once wonderful automaton girls, now as human female babies makes little difference for those who love them all three the most. Faust and Lorelei could only watch at the distance as Mamiya Otaru accepted such a returning gives, promising the baby version of Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry that he is now grateful, and promise to bring sheer happiness he always wanted them to have.

Mamiya Otaru, who is now living with all three of them once again, now took the role of their father, a role he believe is much suitable than he originally intended. Although Hanagata Mitsurugi also living alongside Mamiya and the girls, the craze gay man is now also content on living on his own, with no ties with Mamiya Otaru whatsoever. The girls, resurrected thanks to Dr Hess shows no differentiation; Lime is still trying her best to work things out, asked a lot of question, some of which Otaru is struggled to find an answer, Cherry shows remarkable intelligence, though it didn't help when she is among the 'perfect' girls who happen to find a tendency to cry at the single most upset moment. Bloodberry is still fierce, trying to prove that she alone can tackle the problem, and shows remarkable strength as well; she fought five boys the other day in a children fight, and she walk out with no bruises at all.

Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry has also been given a surname prior being discovered; Otaru's surname in fact. Despite all that has been through, the girls, with a playful matter never seemed to call their father by title, rather, they all still call him by name, a sign in which all of them still remembers him just as before they were all resurrected as human being.

"Otaru-sama!" Cherry cried… again, rubbing her eyes as she hold a dirty pants with urine stains, soak wet, "I'm sorry…!"

"Please… don't cry, don't cry…" Mamiya Otaru quickly tend to her needs, trying to calm her down while Lime simple ran off laughing happily, "I'll get you a new one okay?"

"He really having it difficult isn't he?" Hanagata Mitsurugi asked, looking at Otaru's effort to tend to every girl's needs, with Bloodberry on his side, nodding, "yup" she answered.

"Come on, girls…" Otaru sighing, trying to keep a happy face, "if we don't hurry up we won't be able to enjoy the festival."

"HOKAY!" all three girls reply in unison.

The moment all four of them march out of the house, Lime is the only one who is energetically happy, running ahead of the ground with her giggle and her smiles. Her neighbors phase her for being too darn cute, others say her laughter can wake a sleeping Ponta up, while many agreed that her laughter is a plague meant to spread; who wouldn't when the girl in natural blue hair smile to you every day, being the happiest girl alive? Though Otaru and the other girls don't mind her being happy all the time, he do however hope that she would stop running all the darn time!

Otaru, worried about her safety, gives a shout. "Lime, please stop running so randomly before you hurt your-"

Too late.

Lime tip her own foot and eventually loose balance. She fell onto the road with her leg bruises up, and little Lime immediately cry aloud as the pain on her knee is definitely real. Otaru could only sigh aloud, with Cherry and Bloodberry seemed to have a second thought about being a human.

"See? What did I tell you about running randomly like that?" Otaru said fatherly, brushing little sobbing Lime natural blue hair.

"But it hurts!" weep Lime.

"Hold on, let me show you a magic; I'll take this bad pain away for you."

"Magic?" Lime looked at Otaru, confused.

"Abracadabra!" Otaru said with a smile, waving his hands on Lime's bruise legs before lifting up his arm like he toss an imaginary plate or tissue in midair.

Lime is convinced; the pain isn't there anymore! "OH MY GOSH! The pain, its gone!" Lime cried happily. Cherry and Bloodberry standing beside Otaru rub their forehead. "Otaru, you're the best!"

"See? Magic works on small injury, any bigger and we have to see Lorelei okay?" Otaru reply the smiling Lime, "and don't call me Otaru anymore, its daddy, you hear?"

"Yup, daddy!"

The minute Lime's smile mark across her face, Otaru offer her to sit on top of his head, allowing the girl a much needed affection to her father (and keeping her from running off again). As he asked for Cherry's and Bloodberry's hands to guide them into the festival, Otaru makes one final oath of promise he intend to keep, "_This time, it is my turn to bring you all to happiness_."

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><p><strong>Elsewhere… unknown location…<strong>

"Self-diagnose recorder, Earth Calendar, May 15. I finally manage to reboot the old system left by my self-centered master, and enough material to create a body for a single special variant marionette, far exceed the previous version of Saber Marionette seen on surveillance camera, data and information." The unknown figure talks into a voice recorder, he has a slightly gruff voice, collective and breathing heavily, "I don't know how long I can do this; we may have to move to another new location before I find more material to create 2 more, 3 if necessary."

The man notice the door banging from the distance, "I must go now, but before I leave, one must take one step further; I shall revive this special variant marionette with the Maiden Circuit my previous master oh-so hated about."

The unknown man installs the Maiden Circuit into the body of a relatively finished Saber Marionette, and like the man said, far exceed the previous version from the original Saber Marionette. As the device make contact with the empty slot at the center of the cold, emotionless doll, the machine inner works flicker to life, with various other glows brimming with lights and much, much more. The marionette stirs; she blinks her eyes, she begins to look around, begins to move her hands. The unknown man watch at a relatively close distance, wanted to grasp her needed hands, but he couldn't. He watch as the marionette rose up on a sitting position, daze and confused. "Where… Am I?"

"Subject SMJ-02C appears disorientate, but that should be fine; it has been 3 years since their last action." The unknown man said on the voice recorder.

"3… years?" the confused marionette asked.

"Please, calm down" the male voice said calmly, "you have been reconstructed, and your Maiden Circuit fully restored. Do you remember anything? Anything at all? Your master's name perhaps?"

The confuse marionette look at the strange, unrelated man, who apparently been asking question. She is still look confused what has happen, or what did happen…

But she remembers who she belongs to.

"…Otaru-sama…" she whispers.

**Chapter 01 Finished!**

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><p><strong>Preview<br>****Chapter 02 – Little Hope**

As Mamiya Otaru's life is now perfect, his body isn't. When he examines what is wrong with him, the doctor gives him a grave news; what will happen to him? What will happen to his promise? Why is fate keep playing such things to hurt his feelings? And why is there a Saber Marionette who calls for him? Stay tune!

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><p>To all of you who are new to Saber Marionette series (where have you been? Living under a rock or something?), here is a small fact I gather up to sum up for the lack of Wikipedia descriptions.<p>

**Marionettes**

Automatons, dolls, robots, call them if you must, but Marionettes are different type of gynoid related species. These machines are very interesting construct because they are not bound by the three robotic laws; thy shall not harm a human, thy shall obey any command unless conflict with the first and thy shall kept themselves preserve unless conflict with first and second. For the marionettes, they accept all orders and will perform at the best of their abilities. Certain numbers of marionette are built for hard labors, others for status quo of one's wealth, some were design as collective items (what the heck?) well most were design for prolong war (WTF?). In Terra II, human and marionette co-exist in an odd way, and because they have no female human survivors, most of these nowadays male human mistreated them as cold, soulless machine as they are. Due to their automaton machines, they will render useless if exposed by High Density Plasma Electrical Atmosphere, an supercharge electric with plasma ion that is being raging on Terra II

In the anime, especially the Saber Marionette series, despite that marionettes will no longer be in service after the J series due to the revival of womankind, in Saber Marionette R, a story of the continuing series which takes place 200 years after J, marionette still plays a larger part, mostly because they now become more in tune to the needs of mechanical servants, either as an attractive security guard or a modern beautiful looking house maids.

**Saber Marionette**

Saber marionette is a female shape android which is rare, exclusive and powerful. These specially made powerful marionettes serve mostly on pleasing their master with all the love they could give, and in return, gain stronger ties with their master should they accept their artificial love. They are mostly independent on their own, and fiercely protective about their master, as they gain trust and attention from them. Surprisingly enough, they sleep, eat, take showers, dream, and attacking perverts just like normal woman would. Their emotion came from a special device called the Maiden circuit; a mysteries device with advance programming known to mankind that could simulate a female behavior perfectly by specific types, innocent, virtue and motherhood. Saber Marionette is never being built for combat or for pleasure purpose as their role is to protect and to mature alongside their master, but if their master is hurt or if their home are ravaged, these female automaton will become very protective for their master's will that could even tip off even the most powerful nation to its knees or for the Japoness Saber Marionette case, became the most powerful defensive measure the world had ever seen. They are however still being render helpless if exposed by High Density Plasma electrical discharge.

In the anime, Saber Marionette is very powerful albeit they are limited to do so much due to their limited knowledge in consideration. Unlike actual human being who is curious about virtually something, Saber Marionette is only curious when their master has a type of question that they could ask. This includes medical needs, the use of coins, variety of food and even occasionally event. (Lime once asked what a festival is, giving the fact that the girls never had any festival before their activation). If exposed by plasma discharge, their function will drop dramatically; most of their motor system will burn up and become too weak to perform virtually any task.

**Maiden Circuit**

A small, palm size circular device that acts as a heart of the Saber Marionette; their emotions, memories and behavior all came from this tiny device that enable them to have near human emotions. Without this device, their body become as dull as the marionette themselves. Since the device serve as part of a Saber Marionette primary component, great care must be taken to ensure the survival of the device. It doesn't matter if the body is destroyed, as long as the circuit is still in good shape, a new body can be constructed and to be place into it. The device cannot defend itself should it fall into the wrong hands, though it will emit super high frequency for help that would cover a great distance that cannot be heard by human ears.

* * *

><p>…aaaaaannnnnnnnddddd Finished! Alright the first chapter is done! If you are a curious lad who wants to know more about Saber Marionette J and its following series, search the Youtube channel or something; you'll bound to find at least one or more intact episodes that will hock you right up. Be warn however; although the entire series is fun and laughter, the ending will literally make you cry… period.<p>

Eh? You said there is another episode in Saber Marionette J to X called Forever Blue Sky? What's the point on giving you the good ending when you know it is that good? :3 Though granted, having the kiddy size Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry summon their father after being bullied would make an awesome addition, but this chapter will suffice. Long story short, Forever Blue Sky episode is just as tearful as ever, only with big happy smile on their face. :3

If you like this chapter, then read Waiting for Rice by George Pollack Jr and Understand by Lyra Nights; both of them aimed the franchise so well that I myself personally gave them my review!

This fic will not be any different, so Read and Review lads! (dear god I sound like a darn British man again.)

-Megaauthor-


	3. 02 Little Hope

**Disclaimer:** Second chapter is up, and I have invested a lot of time to ensure safe reading and checking for any mishap typo. So far I have not found any, so there's that. I would (again) like to thank Luvweaver and his previously fantastic AU version of Saber Marionette that had once caught my attention. It is perhaps the only time when Fanfiction came into my life that I started this little fic of my own.

I'm going to say that this fic contains Action/Adventure, Comedy, and Science Fiction all together, despite that I'm restricted to Sci-Fi/Drama status.

And what do you know? The girls never hurt me today! What a surprise!

Enough Disclaimer already.

* * *

><p><strong>Saber Marionette J to U; Revival<br>****Chapter 02: Little Hope**

Thanks to the marvel of science and the DNA of the only living woman rescued by the hero and his maiden automaton of Japoness, Terra II is slowly restoring its proper human way of life by introducing female off-spring clones to replace most marionette construction facility throughout the world. Thanks to the plan presented by Lorelei, the tireless marionette will soon be replace after their 300 years of undying duty and service to mankind on this planet are now coming to a halt. This means the future of Terra II and the future of mankind will begin with the seed of female birth and less dependent to automaton female marionettes. Eventually, cloning will no longer be necessary, and just like the marionette facility that house and repairs these emotionless female automaton, so too shall the cloning facility be close down after sufficient female off-spring are born.

The seed which female babies are born through is a delicate progress, much like male babies in the cloning facility throughout Japoness and beyond. However, during a time, Japoness research facility were attacked by Dr Hess for his cruel needs for machinery to build Neo Mesopotamia and snatch the machine meant for the female babies to be born into this world. However, thanks to the effort of the same heroes that had saved Terra II, hopes are quickly restored to the world, but not without a harsh price. The hero of Japoness lost his three special female automatons in an effort to stop Dr Hess, and their remains are never recovered. However, law enforcement found the female cloning machine hidden in one of the mountains relatively intact and had already produce three female babies. These three female babies are special; they are born into the world with memories implanted into these fragile infant at such tender age and are given to the hero of Japoness by Lorelei, the only living female who is also the same woman who were saved by this heroes automaton. The hero with his teary eyes, he accept such precious gift. The three baby girls, all smiling and giggling, hug at him in return; their soft hands and baby language only soften the harden man's heart.

The hero of Japoness lost something important that faithful day, but at the same time, he gains something equally precious. It was at this moment that the hero by the name of Mamiya Otaru votes to give these faithful girls true happiness, unlike anything he ever did before.

It has been eight years; eight lengthy year since he lost his beloved Saber Marionette but gain three equally adorable daughters in return, he continue to held his promise to achieve true happiness for his loving daughters. Mamiya Otaru stood by the door and settles himself on the edge of the entrance door smiling brightly at the three girls who is doing homework in the living room, sitting comfortable by the table. The three girl's chats and giggle are music to Otaru's ear, and their constant attention to Otaru was brief, seeing their happy, content father smiling at all three of them allowed them to giggle further. There are times when these three wonderful girls would feel more secure whenever Otaru is around, especially that awful bully around the neighbourhood who thinks that 'these strange beings' is far weaker than boys. The fun part however is how protective Otaru is; even from a mile away from the girls, if Mamiya Otaru heard all three of his daughters cried help for him, he would drop everything and race towards the sound of his distress daughters, and would occasionally beat up whoever it is that bullied them, bullies, civilian, citizen or law enforcement itself.

Nowadays the girls are all grown up, and Bloodberry is taking karate classes from the self-defence school in order to protect her other younger, more vulnerable sisters. Essentially the girls know how to safeguard themselves thus far, and it leaves little worried for old Otaru to run across the countryside just because his loving daughters got into trouble. The bully which plague the girls never bullied them anymore, all thanks to Otaru's crazy protective countermeasures (he even dare the bullies father, a council member of the Family Support Association to file a report about him, and the next thing you know, Otaru had immunity thanks to his great deeds to the Japoness Government.)

His train of thoughts are quickly disrupted when the girls giggle at him, giving short comment that he gives such odd look with a smile to them. Otaru never doubted them though, despite being his daughters, all three of them inherit their previous automaton life's since childhood thanks to Dr Hess, according to Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry last memory they told to Otaru. That information wasn't easy to come on though; it took a year for them to develop the ability to speak, and the first thing they say wasn't 'papa' or 'dada', but rather a full name, 'Mamiya Otaru'.

Once again Mamiya Otaru is caught dreaming again, and the all three girls stare back with their oh-so-adorable face back at him, and the blushing grown man would scramble to the kitchen to bring a cup of fruit juice for all three of his loving daughter while his daughters giggles. A short celebration erupted by the hyperactive child Lime, screaming out "yay!" before gulping the fruit juice down to the last drop. Cherry is more modest, and she sip it much slower than her hyperactive sister to enjoy the savouring flavour. Bloodberry however gulp a few down and let out a satisfying sigh into the air; her tomboy matter has not change at all, even when she is sitting on the tatami floor she would rather cross her legs wide than to politely fold it. After the girls are done with their homework, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry would close up their book, tidy the room and off they go playing outside after giving their father a much loving hug. Otaru loves hugs and so as the girls; it never gets old. The once young male human with a hopeful mind wish the girls and him would stay like this until he died of old age.

That is… if it wasn't so complicated.

In the middle of their hug, Otaru suddenly feel an awful pain on his chest, like someone punch him with a force that could rib his ribcage out; the pain cause him to cough aloud in front of the girls, forcing him to drop to his knees and cause the girls to cry desperately to their father. Their father asked for medicine on the kitchen between coughing, which one of his daughters Lime zooms in and grabs what appears to be a bottle with thick blue pill. After swallowing the pill, Otaru could feel the pain subsiding, he pat at Lime for her quick responds. The girls stare at their beloved father with worried looks, but Otaru insist that he will be alright, and push his own daughter out to play outside while he had himself waving at the girls.

Otaru Mamiya had been feeling uncomfortable ill these past several weeks, and the symptom is something he never experience before; the local doctor were unable to determine the problem, claiming that the slight chest pain Otaru is experiencing maybe some old injury or perhaps something more. Otaru know very little about it, so he always had some painkiller pill with him every time he feels ill. Doctor constantly advise him not to take too much of the drug as it has bad side effect on its own, but with the chest pain constantly raging against Otaru's chest, he had no choice but to swallow one and rest for a while for the medicine to take effect.

Many times during those several weeks Otaru would feel sharp pain on his chest in front of the girls, and the three girls would rush in and asked what's wrong, their eyes often filled with tears. Like a lost sheep and clueless puppy, the three girls all cuddle beside their father trying to calm him down. Whenever he wasn't in pain, the girls insist that he should visit Lorelei and see what's wrong instead of going to the local doctors, though Otaru stubbornly reply that he is just fine. It's been 5 year and though the connection between him and the only lady in Terra II station in the castle is usually connection by letter or by phone, no visible contact has ever been made. Probably because how little incident that would consider priority danger to Otaru or to Japoness itself

As Mamiya Otaru sees his three daughters disappear over the horizon, Mamiya Otaru shut the door when suddenly the pain comes back for round two; Otaru clutch his chest at a rapid haste, gasping for air. He kneel down slightly and try to struggle the overwhelming pain as he venture into his private room where he keep stash of painkillers pills from the girls innocent eyes. He got in, lock the door and hastily grab one of the bottles of painkillers which is camouflage as a decoration. Otaru, gasping for air at one second, gulp down two pills and toss himself into the bed at the next, trying to ease the pain with a series of breathing technique. His pain slowly vanished and Otaru feel well again.

"I really need to go to Lorelei's place," Otaru utter out, breathing slowly but surely.

Ever since this chest pain incident started, he keep on having a bad dream; he dream that he may leave his daughter at a very young age, and the girls would cry uncontrolled at their father's sudden and untimely departure, especially Lime, who always loved Otaru since the very beginning. That really scares him; he promises an abundant amount of happiness to his daughters, but with his current condition, he begins to think fate had a twisted destiny to separate him from his daughters again.

"No more lingering around..." Otaru said gentle, breathing slowly this time, "time to go visit Lorelei. She'll knows what's wrong with me."

**Several blocks away... children's playground...**

"Don't you think it's weird that Otaru always has pain on the chest?" Lime asked among her sisters, worrying about Otaru wellbeing.

"Yeah, but he said that it's alright every time we bring it up." Cherry reply, playing with the swing by herself. "I still think we should get him to see Lorelei though."

"..." Bloodberry just sat at the ground looking worried. Though being the oldest among the group (well, when she was a marionette, she was considered as the youngest among the group, despite looking much older), Bloodberry just didn't like how Otaru would respond to them so carefree. It's as if he knows something that he does not want the girls to know about.

Past experience would easily tell these girls that Otaru is a poor excuse guy with even more poor excuse to lie, since the man can't keep a straight face for too long without revealing his secret. So seeing their father kept this kind of secret for so long is really fishy, not to mention he keep on having that fake smile every time he is in pain.

Bloodberry simple bust from the ground, looking rather angry for a 8 year old child, "Let's just force Otaru to see Lorelei!" She said angrily, "I don't really care if daddy is hiding something like a pain in the chest; it's getting worse by the day, and I can't stand seeing him always smiling when he knows that it really really hurt here!"

"We all want to Bloodberry," Cherry said, she stop playing with the swings as her concern for her father is worsen by Bloodberry's outburst, "but we're now little kids; what can this small hands do when we can't even hold down that bully neighbour and their scary looking dog?"

Bloodberry simple clutch her tiny fist. Cherry is right; she can't do anything since they are all officially small children, insignificant when compare to the older days when they can do much, much more when they were still functional marionette.

If they were still in marionette form, they could do something, or better, grab Otaru and drag him all the way to Japoness castle just to have him visit Lorelei by force.

Being the ultimate carefree person, Lime simple smile, "I'm sure daddy is alright; he survive far worse than that pain in the chest... right?"

Yeah, kind of.

Otaru had survived that Godzilla-size Ponta monster which Bloodberry once drag him with her during her automatons activation.

Or when Cherry tries to stage a 'rescue the damsel in distress' gone wrong and had a giant mech punch him hard.

Or when Lime got herself captured by a bunch of marionette collectors and cause physical and mental harm to Otaru.

Or when all three of them had a brief amnesia on Xi-an and Otaru had to fend off three heavily modified combat marionette to near death to ensure the safety of the girl.

Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry suddenly feel like Otaru had done a lot, both painful event and the event that had force them all to remember who they are today. It also brings the brief situation what Otaru is now experiencing. Suddenly the thought of Otaru lay dying when he is in need for pop up in their mind, and in unison, all three girls can't help but to feel the shivering winds to blow at them.

"...We... we should go home and tell Otaru to visit Lorelei." Lime suddenly spoke up, she feels a slight shiver down her spine. "Somehow... I don't like being away from daddy now."

"Yeah... me too." Cherry agree, sharing her blue hair sister's cold chill.

All three girls stop whatever they were doing and all three jog home, their heart pound with every beat equally as their trembling little feet stomp softly on the ground. By the time they were home, Lime open the door with fear in her heart, "Daddy, we're home."

No reply.

The girls walk in in a hurry after removing their sandals in search of their father, all three girls split off in search of their father in their tiny cosy house but found no one safe for a paper note on the dining table. Cherry pick it up, briefly reads it and yell over the girls to rally with her. Hearing their sister's yell, Lime and Bloodberry poke their head out and walk out from their whatever room they were in. Tiny hand wave about in the air, with the concern Cherry looked rather worried.

"What's it says?" Lime asked Cherry, her eyes is teary at best, almost at the verge of crying.

"It says... 'I'm going out for a while'..." Cherry mumble at those small words before she let out a cry. Tears roll down her cheek forcing Lime to approach her.

"Come on, stop crying..." Lime tug and hug her sister, she too begin to shred tears of her own. "Maybe he went to search for Lorelei?"

Bloodberry gentle took the letter off Cherry's hand, reading the horrible handwriting from her father. Unlike Cherry or Lime, she did not burst into tears like most 8 year old would, instead she stare at the door leading outside their apartment thinking maybe Otaru did go and seek help from Lorelei, but what if they were wrong, what if...

Bloodberry quickly banish that foolish thought, and focus on the positive, holding the tears that is trying to escape from her eyes... her mind set on believing their father is now walking towards Japoness Castle in search of Lorelei. She believe it firmly, hoping that it would not be their undoing, "Come on girls, daddy is probably heading towards Japoness Castle; if we hurry, we may catch up with Otaru."

The two girls stop sobbing, hearing such a positive thoughts from Bloodberry. Cherry uses her long handkerchief to blow her nose while Lime... well, she wipe her nose with her long sleeve. Both girls gives a confirm nod, their teary eyes long for their sickly father, more than ever.

**At the same time... Japoness Castle...**

"That would be 1500 yen sir," said the young Japoness driver, who is driving a yellow automobile with a big 'Taxi' on the side of the automobile. Otaru nod slightly and gives the appropriate change.

Mamiya Otaru is not one who would take a long walk towards Japoness Castle when he is now almost at his thirty, and with the body pain that ache like hell, walking over long distance is no longer a variable option. He is resort to use this so called 'taxi' service thingy that came from New Texas. To Otaru's acknowledgement, these 8 years span seemed brief, but so many things has change since then, there are new shops that are completely alien to him, and some areas had high soaring buildings with no clay roof while others had an equally complex traffic system. The city which Otaru knew is completely alien to him, even when he had stayed here for almost a decade long. So much has change and Otaru is oblivion to the changing culture as well. Perhaps it's because he and the girls decided to stay at a more rural, traditional area than staying in the city state like the ones near Japoness Castle that has become rather technologically advance for a simpleton civilian like Otaru to keep up. Nowadays everyone who lived in the city would go on with their business without looking at each other to greet, not even a gesture wherever or not the people who lived here would give a simple greeting to friends and family, unlike the area where Otaru are quite well known for being popular in many ways.

Here in the city life, Otaru is just a nobody. How times change these 8 years can do to one man. He likes being a nobody under the eyes of the people around him; it makes him normal and will not attract too much attention. For the hero of Japoness, Otaru kept that 'civilian' guise than wearing his 'hero' guise in the public area, and no one seemed to notice it at all.

"What do you want civilian?" The guardsman at the entrance door asked as Otaru approach the gate.

"I'm here to see Lorelei," Otaru request, with a tired smile he is known for.

Or not...

"And what business do you have with her?" The same one speaks.

"...I'm her friend. I came to greet her, " Otaru reply.

"Ha, you're a friend of Miss Lorelei? The one and only female on the whole Terra II? That's a laugh!"

"What?" Otaru blink a couple of times, his chest felt hurt, "what's so funny?"

"Sorry, but only official and business man can approach Lorelei, and no civvies who loosely claim to be 'her friend' can enter without clearance or proof."

"..." Otaru stare at the guard; he looks new, almost as young as a newly posted guard, who happen to wield a Naginata spear with great pride. Otaru drew out the Shogunate Lightning Jitsu out from his belt, showing an absolute authority in front of the guard, "is this proof enough?"

"Hey..." the same guard gesture, before he suddenly burst in anger for absolute no reason, "that's the missing emperor weapon! Hand it over!"

Otaru quickly drew his Jitsu back, readying his combat stance; despite not having such action since his last advent adventure, Otaru combat stance is rather screwy at best, he had not practice swords play for so long he had forgotten his stance completely. Otaru did however keep a good distance between him and the single guard. "What are you talking about? I'm Mamiya Otaru, one of the Shogunate most trusted-"

The Japoness guard bellow a battlecry, cutting whatever phrase or words Otaru might utter out, "Be silence thief! Return the stolen weapon or face my wrath!"

The Japoness guard did not held his words as he begins to thrust his Naginata spear against Otaru, and the old adventurer veteran avoid the razor blade weapon by a hair. Using his weapon the Shogunate present it to him long ago, Otaru fought back, activating the Jitsu to suddenly extend twice its length, turning the short weapon into a rather long metallic weapon filled with electrical discharge. The guard blink his eyes when the Shogunate weapon the 'thief' is using is used against him, and try as he might, but the guard's constant blocking only gives a sudden sharp jolt at the hands or at the ribs as each thrust Otaru did with his Lightning Jitsu produce an electrical discharge to hit the guard at short distance. Otaru knows his weapon length is much short than the guards, so he approach the guard with quick strike and close combat, neglecting the guard from having any kind of range advantage.

Bystanders who caught the action were hooked by the thrill of fighting (perhaps out of boredom?), and the crowd gather at the side as the fights intensified, causing the local police to approach the scene. The roar of battle and the cheering and booing crowd intensified as Otaru had the upper hand, despite facing a foe that had a weapon much longer than his own and much younger, Otaru only advantage is experience, and having a title bestow him as the 'Hero of Japoness', the man with a wild mob of hair fear nothing out of this guardsman. The Japoness Castle Guard, feeling numb all over his body due to multiple electrical discharges fell down on his back, his weapon drop and roll to the side. The guard inner instinct is to get up and grab his weapon, but a stop short when he sees the 'thief' held the sacred weapon at neck point, preventing him from moving and suggesting that the guard should surrender. Otaru breath much slower now as victory is secured, with experience and knowledge grant him fully capable of handling his own. This small skirmish is his.

Too bad his body suddenly betrays him.

As a fitting but cruel end, Otaru's body starts to jerk forward and the pain intensified much worse. The pain is so bad that Otaru drop on all four while holding the Lightning Jitsu firmly on the grip. The Guard, seeing as an opportunity rose up and punch Otaru's face hard, causing the hero of Japoness to collapse to the ground, adding more pain besides his chest. The guard, grinning at his own glory moment taunt at Otaru, "Is that what you got thief? What's the matter, had a little problem with your own pain?"

Otaru offer no word, except a few painful grunts and groan; he is sweating beyond belief, his breathing is heavy, and the added pain on his face did little but eases his only concern.

"I'll take that." The guard walk towards the Jitsu and held at the metal rod only to find out that Otaru still held the other end tightly, "give me that weapon ya stupid thief!"

In respond, Otaru held the weapon tighter, he open his left eye staring at the guard with great hatred and anger. The guard did the same, yelling him to let the weapon go, "I'll kill you if you don't let go, ya stupid thief, hand that weapon NOW!"

"You want it?" Uttered Otaru, breathing even more heavy as he endures the pain, "I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU!"

Unknown to the Japoness guard, Otaru press a hidden button which is attach within the Lightning Jitsu and it produce powerful voltage of electrical discharge that could short circuit most automaton machinery to a stop, and to the unfortunate Japoness Guardsmen, he had just feel the taste of massive voltage meant to shut down combat class marionette; the discharge run across his entire body before the guard collapse and start shaking violently before falling into unconsciousness.

It IS called Lightning Jitsu for a reason, after all.

Satisfied, Mamiya Otaru begin to feel rather tired; the pain did not go away, and his vision begin to blur. As his grip on the Lightning Jitsu loosen up, Otaru is about to enter in a state of unconciousness when he could see three colour uniform approach him, all in kimono uniform. They have the cutest face, but their expression shows sheer terror and sadness. One of them try calling him, but Otaru hear no sound, nothing at all, as if some kind of vaccum just suck the noise out of him. He could see two approaching female in the same outfit, but carries weapon. Is that Tamasaburo and Baiko? He wasn't sure; everything begin to look hazy. All three female child begin to shake him violently with teary eyes, attempting to wake him up. He couldn't, he couldn't stay away from this sleepy state. When he finally shut his eyes tight, he briefly, just barely heard three distingush voice calling him in unison.

"OTARU!"

**Somewhere across the Terra II...**

"Hmm... this one is broken, need to replace that one." A young man, with the same slightly gruff voice spoke out, looking down at the broken marionette. Her eyes are open wide, shooting off the halo and blank stare most marionette are known for, "The damage is so severe, it would take several more weeks to perfected the system."

"Do... do you think she'll be fine?" A different model version marionette asked, looking at the automaton doll in awe.

"So long as I fix this problem, she would probably start running around like a loose cannon again." The young man joke.

"What about me?" The marionette asked, pointing at the damage part she sustain from an unknown source, "I don't feel anything distinguishably wrong, only a bit dizzy. I can still be operation, correct?"

The young man comes forward and check the damage underneath her left armpit, massive hole and electrical spark can be seen going off once or twice. "With that damage? No. I recommend shutting you down... though I fear that you might protest."

The female automaton gulp her artificial saliva, "Will the procedure be... be dangerous if I'm left active?"

"Very. I might even burn a circuit or two. Don't worry, I won't allow any harm to come your Maiden Circuit." The man answer without giving pause. "I'll have to replace the damage part that involve your powered fuel, and any rupture could damage your memory data held inside the Maiden Circuit. Please remove it from your body."

The marionette, which the young man spoke too only nod. She blush slightly in front of the man, since she had to pull her dress up and detach her circuit in front of the man she do not trust for five straight years. As she did so, she merely detach the small palm size device from her body, but the wiring and such still attach onto the other end of the device.

"I'm very sorry if I... offend you in anyway." She said, "I'm... I'm still not used to being stare by someone I had barely recognize."

The young man blink, "But I had known you for eight years."

"No," she corrected him, a small pout face seal the deal, "you only know this empty shell for eight years; I had only been recently active for less than half a dozen years."

The young man let a small chuckle escape, "Point taken"

The marionette is asked to place herself in a sleeping position on the table she sits. She reluctant at first, but she did so after a few breath of air; she is going to miss being active again, for god knows how long.

"Ready?" The man said, as he gently took the small device off her hands, his other hands calmly placed on her baby soft cheeks to comfort her.

"Ready. I'll see you soon, right?" She said, with a slight smile, hoping she would be active again.

"Once I'm done repairing this body you borrowed." The young man reply, pulling the wires off the Maiden Circuit. The marionette mouth open slightly, eyes no longer focus, and her entire posture froze in place. The man turns around holding the fragile device with great care before pulling a small box filled with tons of cotton and clothes to ensure the Maiden Circuit is not damage, even at the slightest impact. The man rub the side of the device, and the small palm size device glow blue in return, "... until then, good night."

The device glow blue ever so slightly in respond, before it goes dim ever so slowly. And with that, the man shut the box tight.

**Japoness Castle... several hours later...**

The three girls cry their eyes out, calling their father's name and whatnot...

...And Mamiya Otaru who is sitting on the hospital bed sigh at their constant crying. "Come on girls, I'm not going anywhere, what's with the water works?"

"Because!" All three girls cried out before more tears and cries came from three little girls. Otaru could only pull a guilty smile, brushing the heads of his beloved daughters.

After the commotion, the young man and his daughters are brought into the infirmary by the veteran guards which knew who Otaru is. Otaru is glad that not all of Japoness guard are as idiot as the one standing at the entrance; most veteran guardsmen are retired lieutenant that is station inside the castle as a drill instructor for future guardsmen, but due to their own faulty failure, they did not prioritise Mamiya Otaru and his family as 'loyal subject' to the late Shogunate, and some of the younger generation of guardsmen have little knowledge who Otaru is, or how important the civilian looking man is.

Most young guardsmen originate from city folks after all; most people there had other prioritise, like fame, fortune and... whatever it is in between.

Despite that the glorious hero of Japoness has dwindle into nothingness, Mamiya Otaru didn't mind if his name fade away as time passed on; he dislike outside attention, and fame and fortune once cause a lot of harm than good for poor Otaru. He rather stays on a small apartment away from those who sees wealth and status as a way to escape reality.

As Otaru fruitlessly try to calm his waterworks daughter down, several guys dress in doctor's uniform march in with a paper board in hand, looking at Mamiya Otaru with a questioning looks. All of these gentlemen in coat give a rather strange look at this commoner, disbelieve that the person on the bed happens to be the hero who had once save the world from certain destruction. Perhaps they all believe the hero of Japoness would be wealthier, more muscular perhaps? It was total silent for a brief moment until Lorelei arrive into the nursing room that Otaru's smile rise above his cheek. The three young girls all cried Lorelei's name, and the aged woman who is still in her prime kneels down and hug all three crying girls.

"Oh dear, whatever happen now?" Lorelei asked, and yet the girls crying only make Otaru feel guiltier than relief.

"I... I may have something to do with it." Otaru reply guiltily, his free hand scratch the side of his face.

"Oh, Otaru." Lorelei huff, she shook her head, "I guess being a father is rather difficult even for you."

"No, this had nothing to do with my parenting." Otaru reply, when he drop his smile and tense his face seriously, "but this is..." he added, placing his hand on his chest.

"What's wrong?"

"Otaru always had chest pain!" Lime cried aloud, "he always says his fine, he always says his okay. We got scared."

"Chest pain?" Asked Lorelei

When Lorelei turn her attention to either Bloodberry or Cherry, Bloodberry gives a confirm nod, her brave tears roll down her face, with equally frown lips while Cherry rub her teary eyes before the young girl nod repeatedly. Lorelei turn her attention to the man who had save Japoness and her life to lay down on the bed before she begin examine his condition with some sort of machinery which Otaru have no knowledge about. It looks complicated, and asking Lorelei what it does only cause her to lose her focus. Mostly Otaru would just go along; hoping whatever problem he is having would be cured by a gulp away.

As Lorelei and her male college work on the machine, all three girls held on to their father's hand worried their heart out. Despite his attempt to cheer the girls up, the girl only respond is teary eyes and worried. Otaru had devoted his life to make them happy, not frowning. Such look really hurt his feeling and his accomplishment.

Lorelei and her fellow 'scientist' work until whatever work they did begins to beep excitedly. This notified the female scientist with a shocking expression; whatever it is that it beeps, it seems like a bad news, or worse. Lorelei walk at the monitor at a fast pace, tapping the keyboard at lightning speed before yelling at her fellow college to 'check again'. Something must have made her scared, and a scare it is as her face is as pale as a ghost. She continue her work on a machine sweating as she went, and the three little girls and Otaru feel like this is going to be bad. The girls got scared now; it is a situation which they cannot understand, and when such situation that they do not understand or comprehend, all three girls would usually asked Otaru what's going on, and to their aching heart, Otaru doesn't know what's going on.

"When did it happen?" Lorelei asked aloud, and the man with a wild hair mob tied at the back of his head could only cried out "huh?"

Lorelei storm towards Otaru, her worried look scares Otaru greatly. Lorelei stood so close to Otaru that smell her perfume, "your condition," Lorelei asked again, gasping and holding her breath as she hold her tears from running down her eye. "When did it happen? 5 days ago?"

"Umm..." Otaru try to recall, "several weeks now?" He said innocently,

Lorelei gasp, her hands on her mouth. That can't be good. "You need real _medical_ attention!" She quickly said, before she turns around and order several of her male college to get him into the operation theatre. Otaru's eyes open wide; is his condition that serious?

As several man in scientist coat drag Mamiya Otaru on the hospital bed into the operation theatre leaving his three daughters behind, the young and confuse girls stands near at Lorelei, all with their worried look and held a small question that needs answering. "Lorelei... what's going on?" Little Lime asked, her worried eyes and equally teary eyes stare at Lorelei. The other girls did as well, worried about their father, and all of them wanted an answer.

...and Lorelei, who had send the man who she owe everything to the operation theatre couldn't help herself but to kneel down and hug all three crying and sobbing girls in an effort to comfort them. She too begins to cry, "your father... he had... complication..." she whisper into their ears, "heart complication." She finish her sentense, before she proceed to cry even more.

End chapter 02

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><p>Preview<p>

Chapter 03 – Near Losses

Mamiya Otaru is hospitalized near the Japoness Castle and is treated pleasantly until an unknown intruder arrives and barge into the facility. With the man in bed with his serious illness worsen, can he fight off these unknown intruder who happen to be… his own marionette?

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><p>Nothing new to add today, but at this point on, it will be both fighting and painfully heart breaking moment from this point on. Read and Review it please!<p> 


	4. 03 Near Losses

**Disclaimer: **Okay, this chapter is done, and the girls has forgiven me for neglecting them for well over 6 months (of course, they had to hurt me because I keep on doing stand-alone fics and a special fic for Avatar-of-Kane). Luvwearver is the one who influence me for making this awesome fic, and the fact that I'm a major fan of Saber Marionette series (I finally got the entire library of Saber Marionette J Manga! The entire collection!) helps me entirely in diving into this awesome universe.

So girls, what do you think about me now?  
><strong>Lime<strong>: This chapter is different from what you originally made isn't it?  
><strong>Cherry<strong>: Yeah, no flashbacks, no dramatic intro; granted there are some at the near of the chapter…  
><strong>Bloodberry<strong>: And there's action. Mild action.

I'm glad you say that girls! I've toss the old idea because it was really, really cheesy, and I've settle with this newer version so it would not be another cut-and-paste rip-off. You girls should thank me for this newer innovation.

**Saber Girls**: Only if you promise to finish this fanfic!

*Sigh* Fine…

Saber Marionette J original characters belong to Hal Film Maker and licensed by Bandai Entertainment, original characters however are mine. I do not owned Saber Marionette J whatsoever. Special thanks to both SMJ-Luver and A Fan too, especially SMJ-Luver, who had been with me for… like what? Couple of years?

**To SMJ-Luver: **I would recommend it to you, but a lot of the fansites, including the one host by Luvweaver himself has already shut down. I could in anyway try and find it through the source, but that will take a lot of time, not to mention diving and surfing the internet for Luvweaver fanfic is not an easy task. Here is the one I've manage to find, though it is not completed due to its popularity went down many years ago - you can read it on my profile where I had place my Special Thanks for Luvweaver.

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><p><strong>Saber Marionette J to U; Revival<strong>

**Chapter 03 Near Losses**

**(Japoness General Medical Hospital… several days later…)**

The doctor confirms it – Lorelei, the only female on Terra II painfully accept the truth, and now the world surrounding the folk hero who saved this gem of a planet is now needed saving of his own. Mamiya Otaru condition has been confirmed; he has a brief heart attack.

"That's technically impossible," said the scientist in front of Lorelei and Otaru. The girls are away from hearing this news, fortunately, "I mean… we have engineered each clone, generation to generation with robust resistance and immunity to all known diseases, and yet we are looking at a disease that has not been around for over 300 years. That is madness!"

"It's genetic, that's all I can say," Lorelei heavily reply, she sat uncomfortable at the desk placing her hand on her forehead, "Mankind has been around for several millions of years; viruses has existed since life began. And with our technology all lost after what happen in Mesopotamia, I'm even surprise that a heart attack disease hasn't been around for some time."

Both Lorelei and a flock of doctors and scientist continue to argue, and the folk hero Mamiya Otaru could not believe his darn destiny; is he really going to die, not by outside element, but by his own faulty organ? That's kinda ironic, considering that he had survive a tornado generated by plasma cloud, or had survive whatever weapon of mass destruction Gartland had thrown at Japoness, or how New Texas sends in assassination marionette in an attempt to cover its own dirty secret or when he was branded traitor and a terrorist on Xi-an. He had live through it all, and despite being a broken man after the loss of his beloved marionette, he still feel grateful to have such returning gifts. But all thoughts of giving eternal happiness to Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry has been halted by a single disease which mankind has been struggling to fight against since forever. The very notion of a single individual bacterium capable of defeating Mamiya Otaru is actually laughable for Otaru, but for people who really cared about him, they cannot see this joke in a clearer state.

To Mamiya Otaru's limited knowledge, heart attack are very, very rare disease, even rarer in Japoness as the people here adopt a healthy lifestyle over what New Texas has to offer (hamburgers, hotdogs, and grill steak all scream volume of high cholesterol) and since Otaru is poor from the start, there is no way he could have gotten it through food alone. Plus, he is always on the move, never on a fix job and has been doing a ton of odd job to survive. It was actually surprising how he manage to feed the girls all this time and still never reach out the poor man status, let alone as a hero in Japoness.

The doctors constant discussion however has gotten Otaru's nerve however, "You know, if I'm so darn sick, why don't you guys go talk somewhere else other than on my own bed?"

A number of doctor merely glare at the folk hero, almost unable to accept the man resting on this room has no conscience that he is one of the few people to had a heart attack, but Lorelei knows better; she agree with Otaru's idea and shoo off the doctors out of the room. Otaru however address one particular person which he needs attention too, "Lorelei, I need to talk to you."

Whenever Otaru sees Lorelei in her sad, hurtful expression, it was usually what drives Otaru to make amen for whatever mistake he had cause; he hate seeing people in this fashion, especially the girls. But this expression is different, because now Otaru did not make any sort of mistake at all, and Lorelei knows it. Otaru beam her a relax smile, breathing lightly to change her mood. It did little to calm her heart, but she did pull a small smile in return. She shut the door behind her and locked it. She approach the man on his sickbed, guilt started to form in Lorelei's heart, "I'm sorry…" she utters.

"Don't be, this isn't your fault…" Otaru gesture out, he eyed her as soon as she sits down on the chair next to him, "I dunno how I got this thing, but I can fight it."

"Otaru…" Lorelei begin, tears begin to form, "No one has ever live through a heart disease at all. Back on Earth, the disease ravage people in many ways, and since there is no official cure, people has been gambling at the medical ward to come up with one that would fight the disease; one of which is through split genes. Even after humanity has been spread out from their homeworld, the disease stays with us, cage and locked, but it still exist in all of us." Lorelei pause as she grasp on Otaru's hand, "The most you'll last is a couple of years, give or take, but…"

"A couple of years huh?" Otaru cuts in, he now turn his attention at the window with the beautiful view outside the hospital, "That should be enough for finding a cure…"

"Otaru!" Lorelei revolt, "how can you say that? Have you not consider how Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry would feel? How I would feel?"

"I know, but let's be honest…" Otaru reply, not glaring at her as the folk hero still gazes down the view, "mopping around isn't my style, and despite all my effort, every one of us are destine to die. I taught that to Lime and the others, about 'lifespan' and death, back when they are still marionette. Humans, clone or original cannot escape what's coming for them. All I can do is to try my best, and hope that whatever I did actually matters." Otaru turn his attention back to Lorelei, and the only female on the planet saw clarity in the man's eye, "Lorelei, what I've done this past many years was not without matters. I've done so much in an attempt to make everyone feels content. Ever since the girls come into my life, I saw only a single goal entrusted to me, to make the girls welcomed and happy. It was not an order from the Shogun, or from anyone else; I saw them take breath, they smile, they eat, they cry, they beat the living hell out of Hanagata but most of all they all laugh happily. I knew the day onward that whatever adventure we venture forth will forge a new kind of experience. And each moment is precious to me. To my girls. I intend to life to the fullest, and I'm not giving that up without a fight."

"Otaru…" Lorelei utters silently, touched by the man's word.

"Lorelei, two years is a long time on Japoness. On Terra II." Otaru gesture out, smiling at her as her tears roll down her cheek. Otaru place his hand on her hand which is resting on a metal rail. She reply in kind, "Ieyasu and Faust once able to clone a human being when they first crash landed here on a barren wasteland with little technology other than the shuttle they live in; compare to what they endure, this is a piece of cake."

Lorelei manage to giggle at Otaru's point of view, though she still could not hold her tears, "Oh Otaru… you sure know how to make a girl look silly."

Mamiya Otaru pull his hand up in an innocent way, "hey, I'm a dying man, least I could do is to wipe that sad face of yours Lorelei; hate seeing a warm looking smile of yours frowning."

Lorelei giggles again; another chalk for our original hero ladies and gentlemen, "Cut it out Otaru; you keep on with that smart mouth of yours and I'll have to lecture you like how I lecture Faust."

"No promises."

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><p><strong>(Unknown location…underground installation)<strong>

"ALERT, QUARANTINE ZONE IS IN EFFECT; ALL NON ESSENCIAL PERSONAL PLEASE EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY. KILL TEAM HAS BEEN DISPATCHED."

"Damn it, I was so close!" grunt a man in lab coat holding a two Maiden Circuit on one hand, banging his free hands on the reinforce door. The light underneath the locked reinforced door sparkles on and off, and the man in lab coat pick up his gun and fire it at the fluorescent tube, dimming the area entirely, "I should have time my escape just as soon as…"

An explosion occurred behind the man, the roar of gunfire can be heard just across the hallways followed by a inhuman shriek. Panic, the man continues to bang his hand on the door, hoping that 'they' manage to get here in time, "Come on, girls. This isn't time to be joking around…"

"There is nowhere to run!" a female voice calls out, shaken the man up with a yelp, "Turn around so I can see you, creep!"

Grunting under his breath, the man took a sharp turn and settle at the side of the two meter thick reinforced door, showing his identity under the shower of light before pulling his gun out at the assailant. The man has a short brownish hair that rose up naturally. He has a short goatee and worn spectacles. A scar from his left chin goes up and ends right before reaching to his mouth. The man appears athlete, but he had never like sports, judging by the way he is breathing in. The man in a lab coat fire several warning shots at the female assailant, but the dark assailant did not move a muscle, knowing that the man in lab coat intentionally miss several shots. The female assailant in question has long silver-like hair that reaches to her hips, wearing nothing but her inner rubber suit, shoulder plates, gauntlet and knee guard. She took a step forward, challenging the man in a lab coat own wit. She smiles evilly in triumphant, "Oh my, a scientist with a gun; you scared me sugar."

"Cut the crap Crystal!" the man scream back, "I know what your true personality are, you're not going to get pass me without a fight!"

"True… but what about… her?" the female assailant named Crystal, turn her attention to the alleyway and gives a signal. The moment she did so, two armed soldiers drag another female, or a Marionette, as she has broken machinery left and right. The man in a lab coat is obviously shocked. The marionette has a missing segment on her lower abdomen, her two legs seemed to have dislocated and tore to shred, and her fingers are crushed. The marionette is breathing heavily as the poor machine is enduring massive amount of pain and stress. The female assailant gives a nod to one of the soldier, and the soldier in turn tosses his weapon to Crystal. Crystal did not use the weapon to target the man in lab coat - her attended target happen to be the broken marionette, "You have a choice, doctor; give us the Maiden Circuit and see her live, or I destroy her, and you. Two option; and there is nothing you can do about it. What will it be?"

The man in a lab coat clutches his grip on the gun, sweating uncontrolled; they had her; they had HIS creation! That would mean…

"…Master" the marionette girl whimpers, "Run…"

"Oh, yes; by all mean, run away." Crystal reply before firing a shot at the female Marionette hip and shoulders; the female Marionette cries in agony in return. The man in lab coat took a step forward, gripping the gun even more tightly, finger at the trigger, "Don't hurt her!" the man screamed.

"Oh, I won't, but if I don't get your answer in 5 seconds," she pause, licking her tongue as she aim at the poor marionette's head, "Boom; headshot."

In respond to her sarcastic answer, the two maiden circuit which the man in a lab coat is carrying lit up in a pulse; blue and green light emit from the device, and the male doctor quickly hidden them inside his pocket. This however did catch Crystal attention, "Hmm… it would seems that you are as what people said; you are one very special person after all. Now hand over the device; time is ticking."

What should I do…? The man in a lab coat ponder, What CAN I do?

"Tick tock, tick tock," Crystal playfully address the man with the two Maiden Circuits in hand; he is running out of time, "three seconds."

No…! The man move forward when another loud explosion occurs, this time the blast feels like it is coming from the other side of the wall!

The locked reinforce door suddenly bang aloud, like something just hit the door with some kind of heavy object. The male doctor, the female marionette, Crystal and her assailant watch as the reinforced door bend at a peculiar angle like something big is trying to break in. The slamming continues to bang aloud continuously until the reinforce door are forced out of its place, sending the 2 meter thick reinforce steel door flying, narrowly killing the two soldiers who is carrying the damage marionette. Crystal dodge the flying steel metal door after a few meter apart from her target, and manage to catch a glimpse on whoever that had break the hitches off the automaton door despite the fact that the door in question is used to halt an invasion. There stood three more figure; most likely the one that had cause the commotion inside this installation. The first one with her fist up front of the group has a body of a child, the second member looks like a teenage girl and the last is an adult woman. Each of them had a same serious impression; their harden expression and bloody fist is enough to ward anyone off them, with bodies of troops laid unconscious on the ground everywhere are proof of their powers. Crystal took a step back, grunting at her disadvantage.

"…Girls!" the doctor manage to cry out in relief when suddenly the automaton system bellows out a warning, "ALERT, QUARANTINE ZONE BREACHED; ALL KILL TEAM PLEASE REPORT TO AFFECTED AREA IMMEDIATELY"

"Master! We have to go, now!" the smaller, child-like girl cried out, "Any moment now and troops will be here along with those mass-product Bio-Mechs!"

"What!?"

"We move, now!" the adult woman cried, when she notice more of these 'cannon folders' rush out of the corner, automatic weapon at hand, "I'll handle with these frontal guards!"

"We'll protect you at the rear, Master!" the teenager girl cried, extending her arm to the male doctor.

The man step back, "No! Not yet!" the man in lab coat quickly denied, "I still need to safe her…!"

"You're not saving anyone!" Crystal bellows aloud, who suddenly emerge out of the thick smoke and immediately choking the male scientist as she lift the human being up in the air with one hand, another hand position near his heart like a blade, "I'm having the last laugh here, and when I finish this fool, Lord Turgis will reward me for your insolence traitorous act against the Union!"

Seeing her precious master is in trouble, the teenage girl quickly run up to female assailant, fist clutches tight, "In your dreams, bolt-for-a-brain!"

Crystal redirects her attention to the approaching teenage girl, her hand that position itself like a blade thrust forward towards her. The teenager foresaw the attack and dodges the assault at the precise moment when Crystal thrust her hand, leaving the shocking Crystal to baffle at the approaching female marionette. With all her strength, the teenage female marionette grabs at her assailant's arm and delivers a punch against Crystal's own arm, crushing and separating it with absolute ease and with swift blow. The female marionette screams at her missing arm, freeing the lab coat doctor and immediately aiding her dismembered arm. She shot a menacing glare when the youngest member dash forward and deliver a punch of her own against Crystal. The adult looking evil marionette flew several yards away, knocking the two soldiers that are carrying the damage marionette along the way.

The male lab coat doctor choke and cough as he aid his neck, relieving to have air in his lungs again, "Are you okay, master?" the teenager marionette asked, concerned.

The doctor nod, "I'm alright, but what about-"

The male doctor gaze at the direction where the damage marionette was, and saw two more evil looking marionette standing on top of the damage marionette, "Leaving so soon? The Master will not be pleased if his top researcher gone missing," said the first female marionette coldly, stepping onto the damage marionette's back. The poor marionette continues to cry in pain.

The other one reply in kind, "Indeed dear sis; the Master will punish those who disobey his rule."

Disgust, the male doctor moan, not these two bimbos again, "get your filthy foot off her!" he cried angrily.

The first female marionette eyed the doctor, smiling evilly, "Well, I hardly believe my foot is filthy; I just wash them today you see," she pause, turning her attention to her 'sister', "Am I right, sis?"

The other one giggles childishly, "Oh yes, we did dear sis; the blood of the innocent that is…"

The male doctor grunt angrily; his two marionette stood by to retaliate any form of engagement from these unknown enemies, but then another explosion occurred right between them. Fire and smoke continue to spread, and though the marionettes aren't affected, the human doctor is; the man choked and coughs roughly, and his two marionettes are quick to register their master's needs and run away with the man in toll. The two other evil marionettes tries to get to them, but the fire spread wild, and they could not proceed forward to chase the human directly without taking damage themselves. However, while the two female marionettes carries their master out to safety, the man refused to go; he had to safe his creation! "Let me go! We can't leave her!"

"I'm sorry Master!" the child-like marionette cried, dragging the male doctor out of the installation "But we can't do anything for her!"

"NO! I WON'T ALLOW IT!" He screams and flails about; trying to free himself, tears erupted with strong emotional state running down into his heart, "DON'T LEAVE HER! DON'T LEAVE HER!"

"We can't!" the teenager girl hastily replies, she too shred her tears of her own, "Your safety matters the most for us!"

"NO, NO, NO!" The man keep on fighting, thrashing aggressively, before the one he cared the most is lost by the fire, rubble and explosion, "SAPPHIRE!"

* * *

><p><strong>(24 hours later… Japoness General Medical Hospital…)<strong>

Otaru stirs on his sickbed as he felt a gentle touch on his hand, stroking softly. The young Japoness folk hero turn to his left, noticing three adorable little girls looking back at him. All three of them smile. Forceful smile mind you; Otaru probably the cause, but that was not the case for the three adorable girls. The girls greet their father with the gentleness voice he had ever heard, as if the girls he remembered were once and still are, marionettes. Oh wait, Otaru's loving daughters were marionettes from the start, "Otaru… good morning…" all three sadly praise.

"Hey now," Otaru began, rubbing his head while he smile, "Its 'daddy', not 'Otaru' okay? Taught you gals so many times I almost give up teaching you girls about this."

"Then don't give up!" Bloodberry cried, holding down her tears, "We… we need you Otaru! We… I…I…"

Otaru goes on a sitting position before placing his hand on Bloodberry's head, giving her a well deserve pad, "Easy there Bloodberry. I'm not giving up yet, and nor did Lorelei. She'll fix this, I'm sure."

"But… Otaru-sama…" sniff Cherry, "Lorelei… Lorelei said… she said…"

Cherry almost burst into tears when Otaru stop her from crying, "Hey, you're a big girl now remember? Wipe that tears off, Cherry. A girl should always smile, no matter what happens."

Lime didn't said a word, or react at Otaru's sweet talk. She just lay her heavy head on Otaru's bed, whimpers silently, "…Otaru", she sob.

Out of all three lovely daughters, Lime is and perhaps will be Otaru's favourite. Seeing her in tears because of her father's condition with such a long face and wet puppy eyes always makes Otaru Mamiya a culprit. He pick up little Lime with all his available strength and place her beside him, hugging the little innocent girl with full of affection. Otaru said no word, and Lime stop sobbing for a time, hugging her father tightly as she bury her heavy head at his chest. The other two girls, envy at the affection Lime is getting, also wanted to be on the same wagon as their little sister. Both Cherry and Bloodberry climb up onto Otaru's sickbed and all three girls rest on top of Otaru, all three of them sobbing silently in fear. Mamiya Otaru smile, he proceed to hug all three tightly, their warm bodies and a cooing purr from the girls are an adorable sight. If they were fully grown or still in a marionette form, all three of them would likely kill the man they love with tons of loving embrace.

No, tiny Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry up on Mamiya Otaru sickbed hugging their father sound much more pleasant, thank you very much.

Lorelei walk in into Otaru's private medical room and caught sight of all three girls cuddling onto Otaru, with the Japoness man gently fondle Lime's hair with his left. The woman smile at such adoring sight, wondering what it will it be like if the world on Terra II is fully restored to the way the Shogun – Ieyasu had envision. It was something out of a fictional story that Lorelei and the crew on Mesopotamia had always envision. She stood there in awe, small smile, unable to tear her sight from them even though death is approaching for Mamiya Otaru. She let a small sigh before approaching Otaru and his precious three little daughters. The father and daughter did not notice Lorelei's present until the only woman on the planet clears her throat.

"Oh, Lorelei," Otaru spoken up by surprise, "didn't hear you come in."

"The doors are open, no doubt because the girls rush in just to see you on a sickbed." Lorelei reply, she pulls a sweet smile. "Otaru, I know that you love Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry equally, but don't you think you are… over boarding?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

The three little girls head turn their attention to Lorelei, foul expression. That is where Lorelei stops herself from further questioning about the girls undying love or if the father of these wonderful daughter knows what is going on than what Otaru didn't expect to know. Lorelei immediately drop the question linger in her mind, "Never mind, just a wild thought." Lorelei sigh in defeat, "I'm just here for some check-up on you. I'll like you to answer me honestly at each question, okay?"

The Japanese folk hero give pause and stare at Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, "Is it really okay for them to stay around? This is suppose to be a doctor/patient privacy after all."

The three adorable girls gives a puppy eye stare at their father who are obviously wanted to stick around with the one man they love. Otaru put in even bigger resistance by staring down at all three of them with his grumpy father looks. The girls, obviously takes their father grumpy attitude as a hint slowly descend from Otaru's sickbed, but not before planting a kiss on their father's cheeks.

Lorelei giggle slightly just as soon as the girls shut the door behind them. Otaru sigh in relief, "Such an adorable thing for an 8 year old girls can do. Do all 8 year old girls do that?"

Lorelei resume her giggles, "if you survive long enough, then you should experience it yourself."

"I kinda actually looking forward to it."

* * *

><p><strong>(Outside of Otaru's Private Room)<strong>

"I wonder what Lorelei going to asked Otaru-sama about?" Cherry asked silently, her ears is placed at the surface of the door. She let out a defeated sigh, "I can't hear a thing..."

"Probably some medical mumbo-jumbo stuff. I'm not a big fan of multi-color pills and needles." Bloodberry reply who stood by the wall facing the door Cherry is trying to eavesdrop. Her voice betray her when she spoke up the word 'needle' with a shivering experience playing in her mind. Even though she act tough in front of her sister's, Bloodberry had nightmares regarding needles poking into her arm. Needless to say, sharp pointy syringe and her do not mix.

Bloodberry still remember that fateful day when she and her sisters, along with several patch of clone female girls are to receive their first injection serum most kids must receive. She act tough for the most part, laughing at both Lime and Cherry overreaction before being called forth. When it was little Bloodberry turn however, that's when the red-haired girl is present with a syringe that spells DOOM in her mind - obviously she cries in desperation for her father. That is one traumatized moment she did not want to revisit.

Lime didn't said a word, or any reply; she is worried sick about her precious father. She just stood beside Bloodberry, with her worried look. Breathing rather heavily, she felt her chest is about to collapse under the weight of stress, unable to do anything. Tears begin to form, but she trust Lorelei - she trust her with all her heart that Otaru will be fine again, to be with them all over again. She wipe her tears off her cheeks, sobbing softly.

Bloodberry felt how her blue-hair sister feels, but that didn't stop her from cheering Lime up, "Don't worry Lime," Bloodberry begin, "Otaru will be just fine and dandy. By the time he walk out of that room, he will be kicking ass again."

"Bloodberry, Otaru-sama never kick any ass." Cherry laments, "The most he'll do is to go back home and worried sick about us again."

Both accounts are actually true, and Lime manage to see the light humor Bloodberry is trying to pull off. The blue-hair girl place her heavy head onto her sister's shoulder, "Thanks"

"Heh, it's what sisters are for, am I right?" Bloodberry proudly reply. Cherry could only shut her eye, she smiles and give the red haired sister a slight nod - she admits her defeat.

"Well said Bloodberry." a familiar female voice calls out, drawing all three girls their attention. To their surprise, it was Tiger, one of three Faust's own Saber Dolls. She remain the same in the mind of Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, but she now has a kinder eyes with a serene smile and wears a casual clothing as to oppose of wearing her standard military uniform.

Tiger, along with Panther and Lushs has finally found peace in their heart after what the Saber Girls had done for the Dolls. Kindness is return by kindness, and the Dolls manage to even found the light that had darkened the evil dictator Faust to a new man. Since then, the once evil dictator, who had turn a new leaf often visits Lorelei for business acquaintances regarding the future of Terra II. The curse which Faust carries well over 300 years has been lifted, severing the endless lust for Lorelei, reverting the current Faust back the way he was. Naturally, the Saber Dolls is happy with the drastic change.

Tiger walks casually towards the three tiny girls, smiling sweetly at them, "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Tiger!" Lime happily cried, running towards her with open arms. Tiger scoop her up effortlessly, "How are you, Tiger? Did Faust treat you well?"

"Oh, he has." Tiger reply, playfully pinching Lime at the cheek. The blue-hair girl giggles in respond, "Lord Faust has been busy, but he always check up on us girls despite how heavy his research is."

Bloodberry and Cherry are quick to join in the conversation, "Yeah, we can tell you're happy, Tiger." Bloodberry said, smiling at the tall female marionette, which she reply, "Oh? What gives it away?"

Cherry giggles, "Oh, I dunno, that sunny smile, red blushy cheeks, those kind brown eyes, the soft merry tone from your voice, the casual uniform... Did I mention those red blushing cheeks?"

Tiger did indeed blush hearing that statement, but she playfully denied it, "Who, me? Nah, you got the wrong girl! I'm a mean, evil Gartland Saber Doll after all!"

"No your not," Bloodberry reply, she proceed to wink at the tall female marionette, "We can really tell; you been very busy with your Lord Faust, aren't you? And when I meant busy, I meant 'wink wink' busy"

Lime didn't know what Bloodberry is talking about and Cherry could not hide her curiosity over the Dolls progress. This however placed Tiger in an odd position as she knows what Bloodberry meant - her face turn from blush red to really blood red in seconds! "No! That - that is not how it turn out! I - I mean it did but... We - I... Faust, he...!" Tiger pause, pulling a weak smile, "Its a dead give away huh?"

"Of course it is." Cherry happily reply, before tugging Tigers free hand with hers, "Come on, we should talk about it! I wanna know all about it!"

"C - can this wait?!" the panic Saber Doll exclaim, probably not ready to spill the beans yet between her, her sister with Lord Faust doing... 'ahem' stuff. "I wanted to talk to Lorelei!"

"Lorelei is treating Otaru, so you have us to content with!" Bloodberry counter her back, "To the waiting room girls!"

"Yeah!"

"Wait! I'm not truly ready to spill my moment! I'm not ready!"

* * *

><p><strong>(Japoness Outer Boarders, Several Minutes Later...)<strong>

Three female combat marionette, the Orange Blossom are on perimeter patrol while the human male soldier, numbered by 3 man manned the watch tower occasionally stops between checking the patrolling automaton, looking at the perimeter over the horizon and taking short naps. While the human soldier lax around, the determine and restless marionette occasionally highlight several point of interest for the guard to determine it's danger. Little creature critter didn't really raise any alarm for the Japoness guard, but they did have to send little Ponta away for fear that the cub's mother will be searching it's young. The Saber Marionette Lime once bring in a little Ponta over the boarder, and that alone had raise the cities alarm to high alert.

Nowadays, the city guard are lax around, and with the threat such as an evil dictator has turn in a new leaf, it is understandable for them to be lazy around, not worrying a thing and not noticing two mysterious marionette of unknown origin just jump over the boarder and races down towards the city's roof.

Yup, a perfect day to ignore whatever threat that was.

"The city's guard are lazy, they didn't even see us jump through their defenses with open eye." the first female marionette said openly, she has a short light purple hair down to her shoulder with equally light purple iris eye, child body and worn an odd military uniform.

"I don't care" the second female marionette reply. She has a red-head loosely free and untied with the length that goes down to her hips. An adult body with a bombastic bangs (which is clearly size Double D) and a military uniform just like the first mysterious marionette, except her version has a cleavage to reveal part of her breast. "Let us do this mission so we can move on to whatever Lord Turgis had in mind"

The first marionette sigh, "okay, what's bothering you?"

The latter marionette stop moving, overlooking the city of Japoness from the height they are on. The former child marionette stops just next to her, pondering at the latter marionette.

"I keep having these strange dreams." the red haired marionette said openly, "Dreams that... I myself do not understand."

The former marionette blinked, "but... We Bio-Mech never dream. Ever."

"that's what's eating me." the latter admit, "I thought those are just after image, that something you experience when we go to sleep mode, but it's not. These... dreams... I just can't help but to wonder..."

There was a pause at the latter marionette's question; she place both her hands at her chest, feeling restless, uneasy, breathless. Curiosity overpowered the former marionette, "what exactly? What can you not help but to wonder...?"

The latter marionette shut her eyes, she turns away from her partner, "Wonder if I belong to another master... other than Lord Turgis... and him."

"Look," the former child marionette begin, trying to help her partner up, "Let's just focus at the mission. Let's review our objective again; my mission is to disrupt and disable the castle fortification, thus disable their ability to call in reinforcement. That is where your mission starts - what is your mission?"

The latter marionette took a few breath before she begin, "my mission is to check on these so called Hero of Terra II and determine his fate by valuing his potential danger to the Union."

"And if he is dangerous as rumored to be?"

"Then I have to kill him, removing the future obstacle of the Union's plan"

"And who is this target's name?"

The latter marionette bit her lower lips, her chest is pounding in anguish as the name pop up in her mind. Her mind wonders back and forth between reality and the after image - the dream - as she hesitates to spell out the name of her would be target. Instead of revealing it openly, she only gave a confirm nod to her partner. That's all the reason for the child marionette to understood the older marionette primary mission before vanishing in a purple blur, excursion towards her own destined mission.

The red haired marionette lingers at the rooftop for several minutes longer, unable to determine whether or not to proceed the mission. Her mind yield for Lord Turgis, but her feeling belongs for someone else, someone who she believes to have connection.

Someone who she must kill.

* * *

><p><strong>(Japoness General Hospital... Mamiya Otaru's Private Room, 30 minutes later...)<strong>

Lorelei has left Otaru for a well deserve rest after the only woman in Terra II finishes her medical checkups with him. He owes her so much after all, with the return of the girls in human form, her kindness is extended beyond that he could never repay her. The only gift he could repay her is his loyalty, and being an average guy living at the suburbs while carrying the title Hero of Terra II is hard, considering how poor he is. Still, Otaru isn't going to mop about on the current condition; he is sick - seriously ill - terminate condition according to Lorelei, that had place him in this sickbed with several medical equipment that he did not know off, some beeping device that somehow monitor his heartbeat and more tubes poking into him than what he sees from a suspended animated marionette. Lime and the others has not return to their father's side, probably doing homework or being shoo aside by Lorelei as he is in need of more rest. He can't really blame them, so if his daughters walk in and with an apology, he'll forgive them.

Speaking of which...

The door room into Otaru's private room slowly creak open, which Otaru are quick to notice. He thought it was his daughters, no doubt bidding farewell to Otaru and allow him to rest. Lorelei probably will be taking care of them during his absence. He can't trust Hanagata though; that gayish neighbour will surely lead the girls astray from what Otaru had in mind. The door slowly creaks open, and Otaru turn his full attention at the door entrance. What he sees completely alter his own point of view.

He sees a marionette, but not the nurse type that Otaru is familiar with. He had seen nurse type marionette before, a couple of times in fact, and both accounts are from the amnesiac Lime back in Xi-an when she was still a marionette. The only thing different is that this female marionette is wearing a dark brown hooded cloak that conceal her face and her body. Behaving mysteriously, the marionette shut its door behind her, and proceeds to give Otaru her divine attention.

"Are you... Mamiya Otaru?" she said, her voice is soft and slow. She stood, waiting for the man in front of her to answer. Otaru just stare blankly at her, his eyes narrowed down trying to have a good look at her.

The female automaton, sense Otaru's curiousity over her image decides to lift her hood up, revealing her identidy to the man she had intrude. Otaru instantly gasp, not because of her identidy alone, but also a familiar face, "Lime?!"

The female automaton stare at Otaru, uncertain how to proceed onward. Surely because she has a blue hair that tie neatly in a bandana, those serene smiles and her child-like adorable appearance. But what actually takes everything apart is her eyes; Lime has kind, almost baby big eyes, and it shines in sunny, cheerful atmosphere. This ones eyes looks like Tiger who had been with Faust back when he was still an evil dictator. She blink a few times before she came and address the man personally, "I came with many names, names that does not belong to me," she openly admits, "If you so ever wish, then I'll be glad to address myself as such."

Otaru's initial thoughts are washed away, hearing her comment. _It's so organise, military-like speech_, thought Otaru, _she's not Lime_.

"No," Otaru conclude, "it was my mistake to address you with someone who is associated with me. Forgive me."

"Your apology is not unfounded. Thank you." she bows respectively before concentrate on her part of being here in the first place, "Mamiya Otaru, you are in grave danger. Please relocate in a more secure area."

"How would you know that I'm Mamiya Otaru when I did not answer your earlier question?"

"There is only one existing entry of knowing and caring a soulless marionette with love and sheer happiness. And only one of three possibility of him to know the names of the Saber Marionette -dub - Saber Girls existed."

Otaru scratch the back of his head, "- and I'm not big at lying..."

The female automaton blink, "I... do not have such entry in that account - perhaps it is true at what rumors said about you."

"And what rumor would that be?"

The female marionette quickly shook her head, "there is no time. Even now your life is in danger. Please evacuate the area before it is too late."

"What do you mean by that?"

His speech is instantly interrupted by a massive explosion followed by a full blown shockwaves rock the Japoness General Hospital, throwing everything in the hospital in complete disarray. Otaru found himself on the floor; the shockwaves has thrown him off his sickbed and would have crush him too if it wasn't for the mysterious marionette's quick action. The female marionette has the gentleness touch, securing the seriously ill man in her arms while she throws her back like a shield, shielding the man from the turtled sickbed which initially were about to crush Mamiya Otaru. The man blink in amazement, his heart pumps faster as the marionette's face is close to his. Her eyes locked in his, and Otaru could not find himself able to tear away her innocent gaze. Her lips are just an inch away from his. He blushes uncontrolled.

"Are you alright? Your face has gone red." she began.

Otaru quick get himself up on his feet upon noticing the marionette's statement, "Yeah, I'm fine!" he quickly react before looking at the carnage around him, "what in Terra II just happen?"

"The operation has began, and we are running out of time." the unnamed marionette reply as she dust herself off, standing next to Otaru. She remove her brown cloak and toss it aside; that's when Otaru realise this unnamed marionette is wearing nothing but her inner latex suit. This only adds more unnecessary blushing factor to Mamiya Otaru.

"What operation?" Otaru demanded, "What is it you're not telling me?"

"I know not the details, but I have been sent to assure your safety as my top priority." she openly admits. "We must move, not a minute too soon."

Mamiya Otaru gruff aloud as the pain from his chest is slowly returning. Nevertheless, he needs to get out of here. Backing his items and the Lightning Jitsu (which thankfully Lorelei did not take away as it is the only weapon that Otaru had mastered it), both human male and the female marionette exit the room only to find themself in a chaotic environment. Gone with the clean environment and pure white halls with little paintings, it is now replace with ash, smoke, fire and humanly scream for help. Fire and smoke is something Otaru can ignore, it's the cry for help in several trapped rooms of sickly patient that boil his blood hot.

"We need to help those trap people out of here!" Otaru begin, when he felt a strong tug from the female automaton.

"Negative; My mission is get you out of here, other priority are second to none."

"What?!" Otaru reply harshly, "You don't even care if the people inside is screaming for help, not even an ounce of pity?!"

"No."

The answer is sound, and Otaru promptly slap her hard that she falls to the floor, dazzling the female marionette to look at the human male, confused.

"You may look like her, you may even physically be like her, but you will never be as her; you are not Lime," Otaru spat out, "Whoever created you should be ashamed of himself. Unable to value another human's life and always looking at priority like some reward candy..."

"..." the marionette continue to gaze at him, listening, analyzing, trying to figure out why he slap her. She was created solely to protect this man she sees before her, so why is he rejecting her? She could not understand the error of her ways.

"If your not helping, than help me," Otaru said. In her understanding, that was not a command; it was a request. "Help me help the trapped people here."

"I... I cannot. I am to ensure the safety of Mamiya Otaru. That is my sole mission-"

"Be damn with that mission nonsense!" Otaru reply angrily. When the female marionette still looked confuse, Otaru shut his eyes, having high hopes that she could at least understand just like how he teaches his own Saber Girls the importance of living being. "Go home, wherever you came from, and thanks for the warning earlier... but this is something I must do."

"...As a hero of Terra II and of Japoness?"

"No," he reply, "as a citizen of Japoness. I'm just an ordinary man, living an ordinary life. Heroes are just a fairytale made up story."

Thus end the conversation between man and machine as Mamiya Otaru throws himself into the chaotic environment, even though the man is terminally ill. The female marionette just sits there on the floor, aiding her blister cheek. She rose up from her kneeling position, and for some odd reasons, her eyes is watery.

"...What is this...?" she mumble, "Waters... coming out of my eyes... am I... broken?"

Mamiya Otaru, out from his hospital gown and into his Japanese uniform wielding his trademark weapon goes from room to room, his ears are fixed with the sound of the distress screams. Smoke, ash and fire are everywhere, and every so often Otaru would run into a room not being burned or collapse to use the washroom to get himself wet and blanket his face with equally wet face towel. Fire resistant he maybe, but his body has one persistent flaws, and he knows the massive pain he is experiencing. Unwavering by the continues explosion that rock the hospital, or the fiery inferno or the gagging smoke, Mamiya Otaru rescue several trapped patient, each flee to the exit which Otaru are quick to point out. The trapped patient knows little who their rescuer is, but they all thank him anyway.

But tragedy struck without warning; as Otaru direct another patch of stranded patient, his heart begins to act up, causing the man to clutch down to his knees to administer the unbearable pain. The patient that Otaru help out did not return any sort of favor and runs off in fear, probably valuing his life more than the man who had safe him. Ironic how a chronic patient such as himself has to put in harm's way just so he can safe other people who are trapped within this burning building who are also a sick patient like Otaru himself. He collapse on the floor, breathing heavily and dangerously as his wet cloth that cover his mouth came off, resulting the folkhero to inhale huge amount of smoke and ash without proper insulation.

Lucky for him though, as death has given Otaru more time to live; the female marionette which was promptly slapped by Otaru earlier appear out from the thick smoke and fire, scan the room before locating the man on the floor. She quickly pick him up effortlessly under her arms, the man begins to cough aloud. She decides to use the exit through the entrance door room when the entire doorway is sealed by the falling burning debris. The unnamed marionette quickly looks for another way out, gazing her environment until her eyes settle at the open window. With the fire burning behind her and the smokes thickens, she jump and exit through the window with Mamiya Otaru in tow. Despite jumping out of a 5 stories high building while carrying a man, the female marionette landed softly to the ground before kneeling down to check up on the human male in her arms. She found herself in an open area where a small simulated park are being constructed to make the patient feel welcome and visitors feels fresher here. In this current situation, there is no one in the park except for Otaru and the unnamed marionette.

"Mamiya Otaru, are you unwell?" she said, her voice carries volume of fear. The man respond with a painful grunt, breathing normally. She smile in relieve.

"Otaru!"

The unnamed marionette blinks and turns to the direction where the voice originates, as it is unfamiliar to her. She sees three fast approaching little girls accompany by a grown women and a single Saber Doll.

The girl and women is not what the female marionette is worried about. She is worried about the Saber Doll.

The three girls stop at their tracks seeing another female automaton held their father with great care while the human female - the only female human in the world - quickly close in to the three little girls and wrap around them with her arms. All three tiny girls all cried for their father, their arms stretch out in an attempt to reach to Otaru. The female marionette from Gartland rush towards the front of the group and pull a defensive pose, pulling a brawler combat technique stance. Her eyes are quick to identify this unknown female automaton, registering as a possible enemy. Though her appearance looks like Lime when she is still a marionette, but just like Otaru's earlier hypothesis, the female automaton standing in front of her is not Lime.

The unnamed female marionette, not wanted any trouble slowly place the folkhero down at the grassy patch of land before talking a few steps back. She is not here to make an enemy after all, she is only here to ensure the safety of Mamiya Otaru; that was her mission. Tiger loosen her stance before approaching the Otaru who is helplessly lying down, breathing heavily. She did not however remove her attention from the unnamed marionette, who simple stood there casually, unaware of the situation or the hostility presented by Tiger. To the Saber Doll credit however, a thankful praise is in order, "Thank you"

The unnamed marionette tilt her head to the side, confuse, "Why? Why did you thank me?"

Tiger blinks, and in her mind she already conclude three things that immediately comes to mind. One - the marionette in front of her may had been another Saber Marionette because she is able to reply as fast as human does conversation, though it should not be possible since all marionette production are being reconfigure to clone female babies for over 8 years. Two - regarding the matter she speaks, she maybe military-like marionette. Though the choice of clothes immediately throws that theory out of the window. Lastly - she has connection to Mamiya Otaru, judging how she handle the cripple man with great care. How on Terra II can Otaru find time for another Saber Marionette is beyond her grasp.

Before Tiger reply though, the female automaton quickly spoke up, "Gartland Saber Doll, Tiger. Please, heed my warning; get Mamiya Otaru to safety. This place is not safe anymore."

Tiger continue to have her suspicion regarding the matter on how she behave, and since she call her by her name, it makes her suspicion level shoot through the roof, "Why, is he in any kind of danger?"

"Yes, and even as we speak-" the female automaton froze at her spot. She quickly turn around readying her defensive stance. Her focus is set above the burning building, "She is here..."

Tiger is uncertain what she meant until she fix her eyes in align as hers. She gasped, quickly tense up and promptly return to her defensive stance, leaving the sick male human down on the ground. The three female children rushes towards Otaru's side in tears, unaware of the danger Tiger and the unnamed female marionette is witnessing above them.

Lorelei gasp at the sight she is seeing.

An entire row of armed marionette on the roof, their gaze fix at the two female marionette that could hinder the groups progress. They all wear an odd military uniform, different from any existing 6 nation. Standing at the centre of the row of armed marionette, stood the same red haired female automaton, her face is tense seeing the man she was send to kill is now in view.

The man which her heart is aching for to be with other than Lord Turgis.

"Mamiya Otaru..." she whisper.

End of Chapter 03

* * *

><p>Preview<p>

Chapter 04 – Tragedy at Homefront!

Mamiya Otaru is now forced to fight against a newer more menacing enemy than he had ever faced before, with death closes in at every step of the way. Tiger and the unnamed marionette can hold on their own, can how long can they defend themselves once Otaru is out of the picture? What will happen when Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry future be without their beloved father at their side?

* * *

><p>Ok. This chapter is done and now I can-<p>

**Lime:** Wait, isn't Otaru supposed to die on that next chapter?

Err… yeah. But-

**Cherry**: NO! We won't allowed it! Do you know how much it hurts when that chapter was made?! Bloodberry gone traumatise over it!

Really? I didn't-

**Bloodberry**: I will not allow you to do that! Otaru meant a lot for us!

Calm down girls! Geez, its just a fanfic-

**Saber Girls:** Otaru's safety is at risk! Let's get him!

AAARRRGGGHHH! REMOTE CONTROL! WHERE THE HELL DID I PUT THEM REMOTE CONTROL! NO! DON'T HURT ME! DON'T HU- (transmission lost)


	5. 04 Tragedy at Homefront!

**Disclaimer:** Chapter 04 is done. To those who previously follow this fanfic years ago, I have taken the liberty to add more action scene and less... emotional moment. Not that there isn't any; this is still Saber Marionette series after all, and there is bound to be very heavy emotion on many chapters to come from the crying and frustration to overly excitement and pure joy. Love is still the main theme here as well, as the main male character will soon be conflicted by his choices in a later chapter.

Speaking of heavy emotion... How are you girls doing now? You girls has been awfully quiet during the entire production; I didn't do anything that could shut you guys down... right?

**Saber Girls**: ... (Blank Stare)

Err... Girls? Hello? Terra II to Saber Girls?

**Saber Girls**: ... (Blank Stare)

Hmm... I must have broken them during the development – my bad. Oh well, I was supposed to calm them down if they did go berserk; I had my stun gun and EMP grenade ready for such occasion, but I guess this works too. Well, time to shell these beauties back to their stasis pods; they are going to be vital role in a much later chapter to come.

Saber Marionette J belongs to Hal Film Makers and licenced by Bandai Entertainment. Original Character and story arch/script belongs to me.

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><p><strong>Saber Marionette J to U; Revival<strong>

**Chapter 04 Tragedy at Homefront!**

_Otaru, I know that these words have affected you in some way or form, but our love __–__ our undying love has not diminished since we are reborn._

_Our love has not diminished since we left you. And I still remember your answer when we board Neo Mesopotamia in order to stop Dr Hess._

_Our love for you has no equal, undying __–__ you treat us more than just dolls; you treat each and every last one of us with your kindness._

_Your kindness gave us reason, you right what was __wrong without a second thought, and though you hesitate, deep down, we can see your love in your eyes._

_Your love is genuine, caring, longing, and real. You gave us soul when we are nothing but screw and bolts._

_We are not humans, but you still love us. You gave this cold body warmth. You would do anything to keep us safe, unconditionally or not. _

_Your love is self-less, and our love is just._

_We love you Mamiya Otaru._

_I love you, Otaru._

**_-Program 01 Virtual Character JSM-01L Lime_-**

**(Japoness General Hospital... Central Mini Park)**

"Mamiya Otaru." The female automaton with a long red hair that goes all the way to her waist whispers, locking her gaze at her primary target, more specifically at the older male human who are being supported by Tiger, one of the Ex-Gartlands Saber Dolls.

Tiger, Lorelei and the three adorable young girls, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry stood there at the hospital inner park staring at the number of supposable armed marionette up on the burning building, led by this unknown red haired marionette, with the unnamed marionette that bear the strange similarity as the late Saber Marionette Lime. She stood in the front of the group in defence; her combat stance alerted Tiger that these automaton beings are hostile. Tiger on the other hand is confused, blur between the marionette in front of her that stood in defence and the one with seamlessly the cause of this disaster, the crowd of hostile and armed marionette also give unwanted credit for Tiger's anticipation. She knows after all; she could easily picture herself on similar position if her beloved Lord Faust had not realize his mistake and took his campaign to rule Terra II as their king to fruition.

The Japoness folk hero, Mamiya Otaru, weak due to his heart condition, could not stand on his two legs, let alone fight these horde of enemies are forced to sit this one out. He did however manage to catch a glimpse at the red haired female automaton in an unknown military uniform. In his uncertainty and blurry vision, he indistinctly believed the one who stood up on the building was Bloodberry, another member of Mamiya Otaru's beloved Saber Marionette, and one of the three he dear the most for the safeguard of the other two. The unnamed marionette immediately threw any speculation that would point this red haired marionette as Bloodberry out of the window by calling out her name, "Ruby."

The red haired female automaton blink in respond at that name, she is surprised, but she did not respond hastily. Playing it cool, Ruby smirk at the one who recognize her "I see you know my name, little marionette. What is your identification, your name?"

"I have none," the unnamed marionette replies dryly, "I was activated mere moments ago, to ensure the safety of my missionary target. I however have been briefly being update by the current situation, and I know who my enemy is, and who my existence depends on."

"I see," The red haired female automaton, Ruby reply, "Unfortunately, though my orders are only stated to identify the potential threat of that man you protect, it is not, in any circumstances that I should let any of you go."

On cue, the army of emotionless female automaton with light weaponry descend down, landed on the smooth ground without crashing into pieces. All of these blank expressionless doll-like machines stood up, their blank eyes lock onto their missionary target and began to slowly walk towards Otaru's general location, and Tiger are forced to take equally slow steps in a defensive position. Despite having much power and experience to tackle these many hostile enemies, she could not leave Otaru and Lorelei behind, and they need her protection the most, especially the three young girls who is now Tiger's only legit human companion, are the most vulnerable.

Stuck in dilemma, Tiger is surprise when the unnamed marionette told the Ex-Gartland Saber Doll to run, "Go - I will handle them."

"What?"

"These mindless machines only true desire is to see Mamiya Otaru dead, and nothing else. You should escape with Otaru while I hold them off." the unnamed female automaton said bluntly, her focus remains locked at the approaching enemy marionette.

Tiger turn to glimpse at Mamiya Otaru's condition, seeing her so-called 'godfather' in a crucial state. Other than Lord Faust, Mamiya Otaru was the other 'master' who foster Tiger and her sister's in order to mature by Lord Faust's command after he turn a new leaf. It was during a few week times that Tiger, Panther and Lush become more feline, gentle female marionette under Otaru's care, and at times being heavily contested by Lime and her sister's for affection. Seeing Otaru in a state he's in - heavy breathing, chest pain and heavy sweating, not to mention intensive coughing - makes Tiger worried sick. She could potentially loose her godfather – her second master, and that alone cause her own Maiden Circuit to react positively; she will protect Otaru at all cost. With a grim expression glaring at the back of unnamed marionette's head, Tiger accepts her plan, "Understood."

The Ex-Gartland Saber Doll, with Otaru under her arms, turn around and told Lorelei and the three young girls in a quick, summarized version of the plan. All gave a solid nod before running away at the opposite direction, heading towards the exit.

"Get him." Ruby commands, and the puppet machine acknowledged their mistresses command. However, guarding the passage like a diligent lioness, the unnamed marionette put a brave front, her defensive stance quickly switch to offensive stance and began her assault against her approaching enemy. Each blow she cracks against the hollow enemy marionette quickly destroys the enemy motor system or neural core, disabling them as quickly as she smashes them. Each blinding attack cracks, maim and discharge massive amount of damage, some of these puppet machine literally being cut to two simply by slicing them with her hands only. Blind by their mistresses command however, the enemy marionette dismiss the unnamed marionette as a threat, despite having their numbers reduce greatly. Some of the puppet machine that had survive the assault attempt to proceed onward despite lacking a number of functional limbs, dragging itself towards their objective mission blindly, only to have their hollowed puppet processing core crushed or their interior power core destroyed by the unnamed diligent female marionette. However, quantity over quality ratio, a number of these hollowed enemy marionettes did bypass the defending combat automaton, and she knows that those few numbers could potentially end Otaru's life. Still, she has to fend off the overall numbers of fully functional enemies before going after the surviving few. Calculation predicts that she would face very few resistances who are in pursue of her missionary objective once she finish mopping up the enemy.

Too bad she did not make the same calculation for Ruby.

The red haired female marionette makes herself known by landing near the unnamed marionette's location. The defending female automaton instinctively initiates her assault, only to have her arm getting locked under Ruby's own counter – her build is far different from any Saber Marionette design, perhaps even surpass the original design. The unnamed marionette attempt to free her arm from Ruby's grip, but she could not remove her arm from those muscular female arm which proudly belongs to Ruby, "You are one major headache you know that? I had a company of Gesse-Doll and you wipe out almost a third of their number."

"..." the unnamed marionette did not reply, her blank stare gaze at Ruby's eyes.

"Not in a talkative mood eh?" Ruby sneer, "Let's see how you'll react after I break one of your arm!"

Ruby did not jest; immediately after she told the unnamed marionette her intention, Ruby apply massive about of pressure onto her lesser opponent's arm joint, and with a loud metallic grunt and a burst of electricity, the red haired female marionette separate the unnamed marionette's arm off its socket with a loud pop, but not after rewarding Ruby with a solid punch to the face with her free arm, stumbling the blow a little.

"You're out of your league, little marionette." Ruby gesture, holding her opponent's severed arm before her. Eyeing at the severed arm, Ruby proceed to rub the severed arm on her face, the red haired female marionette smiles wickedly, "Hmmm, smooth baby soft skin. Highly maintain and highly sort out quality texture. You are quite a mystery, my dear."

The unnamed marionette did not react nor did she felt anything; she only took a quick glare at her missing arm before locking her target at Ruby. Normally, any marionette of her calibre would be moaning and groaning in pain at the loss of her arm, even going so far to exact revenge. But she isn't one of those types with higher AI programming - she is a combat drone, nothing more; she exist only to follow orders, and her orders is to protect Mamiya Otaru from these enemy intruders, under no circumstances should she refuse it so as her programming demand it so.

And she'll follow her command protocol down to the last coding.

Still running inside the hallway of the burning hospital, the Ex-Gartland Saber Doll Tiger are forced to run at a much slower pace due to the limitation of her former marionette friend turn humans, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry - though Lime and Bloodberry run at a steady speed, it was Cherry, who is the biggest burden of all, kept on crying in tears, fear firmly grip in her little beating heart. Unable to consult her in this kind of situation, Lorelei had to carry little Cherry in her arm, reassuring her that everything is going to be alright. That didn't stop her from crying, but it did allow the gang to have momentum again. Lime and Bloodberry appear on a verge of crying as well, but they kept their tears in check, the girls worried more about their father than their safety, a stubborn trait that both former marionettes still kept behind their head.

However, trouble soon follows them behind when Tiger, utilizing her enhance hearing sensor, picked up several fast fleeting footsteps rushing towards them. Knowing that whatever evil intention the puppet automaton are scheming, the Ex-Gartland Saber Doll are force to placed Mamiya Otaru down before positioning herself in a defensive state. Lorelei and the young three girls immediately took note of Tiger's intention, all four of them voice out their concern, or abandon her foolish act.

The Ex-Gartland Saber Doll will not have it.

Immediately as it were, the numbers of surviving and fully functional Geese-Doll emerge from the smoky clearing; each functional piece wants their target objective dead. Tiger will not allow it so; picking up a piece of metal rod on the ground and use it as a makeshift weapon, Tiger disable the first Gesse-Doll with a violent blow to the head, resulting the hollowed automaton's head to be crushed. The second one meet the same demise as the first, then the third.

As Tiger fought off stragglers, Lorelei are forced to carry Otaru out of danger, and the three little girls follows without much of a choice; if they were still in marionette form, all three of them could get Lorelei and Otaru out swiftly, or help Tiger and that unnamed marionette out by defending what they care and loved the most. Cherry couldn't help but to sob as she run, feeling helpless and powerless. She used to be intelligent, anticipating, calculating, keeping thing in real time, now she worried not being there to be with her sister who would need her intellectual mind. Bloodberry wish she was strong again, beating up any baddies who would want to hurt her, her sister or Otaru. She would protect those who threaten her beautiful sister and her father. Tears roll down on Bloodberry's cheeks, knowing how powerless she is in this form. And Lime...

...Lime just wants to be with Otaru. She just wants to be with him. To grow old together. The things she wanted to do with her precious time with her father, her Otaru. She just wants things to be simpler, easy going, and no more crazy and life threatening adventure; she wants the way they have been living their life for the past 8 years - uneventful, normal life.

...And she can't even have that life.

"How. Many. More. ARE THERE?!" Tiger react violently, smashing through almost a fifty or so Gesse-Doll and still have no shortage of these hollowed automaton soldiers, enough to make the makeshift weapon bend in a peculiar moon-like crest. Tiger toss the weapon aside as she pulls out her old whip-like electric-based weapon underneath her shirt. Cracking a wicked whip on the ground, Tiger stood her ground as she stare down at a dozen or more Gesse-Doll automaton, ready to engage against the Ex-Gartland Saber Doll. She honestly didn't think that her old weapon would provide any combat efficiency against a crowd number of foes, but if her old weapon are able to level even a Saber Marionette to the ground, chances are rounding up these persistent automaton will not be a problem.

_Better not take any chances,_ thought Tiger, being extremely caution at her surroundings and trying not to be overconfident.

The dozen or more enemy Gesse-Doll appears as reinforcement, mounting enough number to drag Tiger to the ground if they want to. However, not only did they not proceed to use such strategy against Tiger, all Gesse-Doll automaton did not make their move and just stood there blankly at Tiger, just a few meters away from Tiger's electric whip's effective weapon range. The Ex-Gartland Saber Doll took a few defensive step to the back, and the Gesse-Doll follows her a step forward. Tiger let her whip crack again against the floor, showing her superior control over them. This only provoke them to take another step forward.

_Well, so much for being superior than them,_ thought Tiger.

"Whip all you want, Saber Doll. The Gesse-Doll are an equal footing as your primitive robot drone equivalent, they have nothing to fear, and fears nothing." a voice announce itself, showing herself at the collection of the Gesse-Doll at the middle. It was Ruby.

_Darn, that unnamed marionette must have lost, _Tiger makes a mental note, placing an estimate calculation that the unnamed marionette to be roughly her own strength, perhaps even an equal footing - estimation calculation can only go so far, especially when Tiger isn't used to calculating something that Lush, or dare she say, Cherry would usually do.

Ruby pace forward, and the crowd of Gesse-Doll gave her path without any command or orders. As Ruby stop at the front of the collection of Gesse-Doll army, the red haired female automaton left hand held what appears to be an amputated marionette's arm, "I must commend you though, Tiger - not many female doll such as yourself, as elegant as you are made from, are really designed to take serious punishment."

Tiger huff, "You shouldn't be talking about me; I know a similar marionette companion of mine, and she share the same traits as you. The fact that you remind me of her is more than enough proof that you are created at the exact same model."

Ruby's expression turn from calm to anger very quickly after hearing her comment, she threw the severed arm on the ground, her eyes burn in great anger, "DON'T. COMPARE. ME. TO. YOU!"

In a blink of an eye, Ruby launch her assault against Tiger in a blind, fast fury punches and kicks. Tiger parry each attack and counterattack against her attacker, striking either by a whip or her own blows. Each attack Ruby execute against the Ex-Gartland Saber Doll, the harder the blow, harder than what Bloodberry would normally pull. Attempting to hold the attack from this Bloodberry lookalike marionette causes Tiger to endure maximum level of tolerance which she couldn't handle. With that much stress level weighing down on Tiger, she could not endure the continued blow any longer and devise a counterattack. Using her speed attributes to the fullest, Tiger got away from Ruby's titanic blow only to blink in great surprise that Ruby possessed the same speed, catching up onto Tiger, nose to nose. No matter how much she attempted to parry Ruby's next attack, the red haired female marionette score several hits onto Tiger, each strikes landed onto Tiger's chest causing the former Ex-Gartland to gasp in pain.

_W-what?! How is she much faster than any known Saber Marionette?!_

Seeing an open opportunity, Ruby quickly holds the Ex-Gartland Saber Doll by the head as she drag the marionette around, colliding walls, pillars, and other debris before tossing Tiger to the ground. Quickly gaining footing, the Saber Doll Tiger got up on her feet and whip her weapon on Ruby's leg, effectively tying her leg up. With a swift move to the right, Tiger effectively trips the red haired female automaton to the ground before using her massive collective strength to toss Ruby around the wall and ceiling like a wrecking ball. Tiger decides to follow up with a her own attack when suddenly Ruby came racing back down after she is being ricochet to the wall, zooming downward towards Tiger like a speeding bullet. Unable to predict Ruby's combat pattern, and had little time to react at Ruby's counterattack, the red haired female automaton dive kick into Tiger's chest; the Ex-Gartland Saber Doll can hear her mechanical body groan, moan and crunch at such violent approach, but most importantly her Maiden Circuit, the core of her existence. Tiger scream aloud before her world turn dark.

With a powerful dive kick that send Tiger flying into the wall before collapsing, Ruby, smirk at her victory, walk up to the downed Saber Doll and gave a good kick to the head. Unresponsive, she decides to held her short hair hard and pull her up so she could see the fame Saber Doll's defeat in front of Ruby's eyes. There was no resistance from Tiger, as the Saber Doll system appears to have shut down; her expressionless face stares back to Ruby with no form of resistance. Satisfied with her victory, Ruby drop her back to the ground before directing the remaining Gesse-Doll to continue with the mission.

Much further away from the scuffle of Ruby and Tiger, the former Saber Girl's heart suddenly ache in pain, their stomach felt cramped and uneasy, and all three are breathing very hard. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry all felt that feeling, and they know what had happen; Tiger is defeated.

"Tiger!" Lime cried aloud, running at the opposite direction. Lorelei and the rest of the girls are obviously freaked out at Lime's sudden action and all of them scream at her in panic not to turn back. "Lime! Come back!"

All of them did not ran far; the Gesse-Doll are already within view, and their target are now at sight.

Little Lime put up a brave front. Her mind is constantly pursued her to turn and run, or death will welcome her early. She didn't want to run, she can't. Her friend Tiger is downed, her father Otaru is hurt, and she can't do anything with such small hands. All she could do, in all her power, is to cry for help.

And help came with a familiar tone, "Mistress Lorelei!"

Lime Mamiya turn around, seeing two of the Advance Saber Battle, Baiko and Tamasaburo. Two of them are damage and riddle with a score of burn marks on their arms and feet as well as a number of torn piece of cloth from their uniform. Baiko and Tamasaburo must have battle their way since the hospital came under attack, and they are not alone. Behind them are legion of Saber Battles Orange Blossom and Peach Blossom, all armed with the long Naginata spear. As if it wasn't enough reinforcement, Lush and Panther, the two other Ex-Gartland Saber Doll is also present among the group, further bolstering the groups attack force.

"Baiko, Tamasaburo!" Lorelei exclaim excitedly, feeling relieve at the two Advance Saber Battle duo. She also feel grateful for Lush and Panther's arrival, "Lush, Panther, thank the heaven's your here as well."

"Japoness Castle was under attack when Panther and I came to visit you on behave of Lord Faust. I'm glad we were here in a nick of time after repelling these invaders from the castle," Lush explain, producing several sharp knife-like projectile from the edge of her hand. She don a thigh business women uniform with a hint of Chinese design in navy blue.

"But unlike most nation we have make allied to, these marionettes are very different - from its mechanical design down to its uniform utility are very unique," Panther give her piece, heaving a rather huge object like a mace. She don a military-like jacket with a green business women uniform.

"Yes, we notice," Lorelei stated, "And for whatever reason, they seemed to be interested on Otaru. They have already damage much of the facility here as well as a number of automaton guards."

"And where is Tiger?" Panther asked with a worried tone, which immediately stir Lorelei, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry's beating heart.

"She is no longer active."

Again, Ruby appear before the crowd of opposing side, surprising the other two Ex-Gartland Saber Doll due to the familiar appearance in front of them. This expression of disbelief however are immediately being countered when Ruby announce Tiger's demise, which of course cause both Lush and Panther to snarl at the red haired female automaton. Baiko and Tamasaburo, due to their limited AI processing, only sees Ruby as the enemy commanding officer, and both immediately order both Orange and Peach Blossom combat drone to attack Ruby and it's foul army. Lush and Panther join in the fun, both of them wanted to tear Ruby apart piece by piece.

"You're going down, you red headed freak!" Panther declared angrily.

"Well said Panther, let's tear this bitch!" Lush reply in agreement.

Ruby need not reply to both Lush and Panther's empty threat; she smirk evilly as both Saber Doll rush to their doom.

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><p><strong>(Several distance away from the occurring fight...)<strong>

As the hallway is littered with the destroyed Gesse-Doll machinery and scrap parts, the unnamed marionette, heavily damage from her battle with Ruby remain functional after what seemed to be a hopeless battle. The unnamed female automaton drag herself on the floor with her only remaining limb attach to her, pushing herself forward in order to complete her mission which has been programmed into her; so long as she remain active, she will fulfil her objective without fail at the prize of her existence. As she push forward much further onward, her sensor picked up Tiger's deactivated body, laying on the ground face first. The unnamed marionette just stare at the former Saber Doll for the longest time in her life before switching her view to the battle ahead. Her directive programming placed Mamiya Otaru as top priority, but Otaru's previous words with her has an effect on her. Now she is being conflicted to help Tiger or ignore the Saber Doll in order to protect Mamiya Otaru.

After clearing her head from all sort of conflicted programming and driven protocol, the unnamed female marionettes decides to reactivate Tiger, which is against her directive protocol.

Dragging herself close enough to flip the damaged Tiger on her back, the unnamed female marionette notice what was wrong with Tiger's condition, "Hmm... Chest plate damage. Critical state." she mumble, "Maiden Circuit may have been damaged. Accessing service maintenance hatch."

The unnamed female marionette undress the top layer of Tiger's uniform as fast as possible before attempting to activate Tiger's maintenance hatch, taking delicate care not to tear her uniform. As Tiger's clothes placed aside and had her hatch activated, the Saber Doll chest open in two direction via maintenance hatch. After identifying the damage thoroughly, it is revealed that Tiger's Maiden Circuit did not sustain too much damage; it merely disconnected from its socket. The unnamed female marionette sigh in relief, shutting the maintenance hatch shut back in and dress her back before placing Tiger on a sitting position prior before connecting her Maiden Circuit back into its socket. "System diagnostic complete; Saber Doll Tiger's Maiden Circuit sustain minor damage. Reactivating unit to full functionality."

Maiden Circuit placed and connected correctly, a low machinery hum from the delicate device came into life before producing a heart like thumping; Tiger's previously expressionless blank eerie stare lit up with a gasp for air and shocking expression, followed by a sensation of pain on her chest. The Ex-Gartland Saber Doll quickly scan around her surroundings in a hesitating motion before setting her sight on the unnamed female marionette. The nameless marionette pull a small smile, "System scan at optimal level. Sensor scan at optimal level. Unit GSD-004 Online."

"W-what? Where... How..."

"Do not be alarm, Tiger. Your Maiden Circuit suffer only a minor disconnection after you've sustain damage from Ruby. Forgive me if I have tarnish your uniform in any way or form; you were in danger, and I had to ensure your circuits survivability."

"...yeah. I-I guess... Thank you." Tiger nodded.

"Your gratitude is not necessary. I did what I believe is right. Now please - help Mamiya Otaru. I would go as well, but my current condition will only slow down your progress. I will help shortly thereafter."

"Help? You? You're too damage to even help!" Tiger questioned the nameless marionette's objectives, "You've lost your lower limb and one missing arm, not to mention you've barely even able to fight in that current state!"

"I am but just a reproduced model. I know the danger, the risk and the mission - I care not of my safety, only my objective."

The former Gartland Saber Doll bit her lower lips; why does it sound familiar, she wonders. "Look, I appreciate your help, but you are in no condition to even assist in any form of gesture or action. You are-"

"Discreditable appreciation from a model such is myself are understandable; my function are limited, but my objective remains - I must assist Mamiya Otaru down to my last function."

"Are you even listening to a word I said?!" Tiger yell at the nameless marionette in bitter anger and sadness, "You are in no condition to help him, Lime! Stop being stubborn for once!"

"Lime...?" the damage female automaton reply, arching her head slightly downward to the left, staring at Tiger with her questionable look. Questionable innocent look, mind you.

"No, that's not... I..." Tiger pause, looking away from the Lime lookalike automaton, "Please... Just... Stay out of this. I thank you for activating me back online... Just... just stay here - you're damage, and I don't want to see a familiar marionette like yourself throwing herself into danger, not when that familiar marionette happen to be... my closes friend."

The unnamed marionette open her mouth to respond, but Tiger rushes off into the thick smoke of battle, without giving the nameless female marionette a chance to reply back. The damage female automaton sigh as she resume her original objective - she could continue dragging herself on the floor, but the floor she drag herself on is littered with the destroyed Gesse-Doll combat drone. With luck, she could find a few functional spare parts to pull herself back up - there should be enough mechanical parts and joints to rebuilt herself. All she needs now is time.

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><p><strong>(Meanwhile, during the heated battle against Ruby...)<strong>

Lorelei and the three young girls become extremely fearful for their life, and for good reason; while the Gesse-Doll combat drone are easily being dispatch off, Baiko, Tamasaburo, Lush and Panther all fell to their knee against Ruby, along with the ruin armies of Orange and Peach Blossoms combat drone which for inexplicable reason, Ruby is able to fend off the entire army of the finest combat drone on Japoness, let alone two Advance Battle Saber and two Saber Doll with ease. With nowhere to turn and nowhere to hide, Lorelei, Otaru and the three young girls are now vulnerable to the approaching red haired marionette. With no one else to oppose her, Ruby casually walk pass the beaten defender towards the only female human on Terra II who is carrying the sicken Mamiya Otaru under her arm, who is Ruby's primary target.

"Hand him over." Ruby said as softly as possible, complete with a soft smile, "I promise I won't hurt any of you if you do."

"You can't have him!" Cherry cried, tears wet her entire cheek, "His our father, and his sick! Leave him alone!"

"Yeah, leave him alone, meanie! H-he didn't do anything to you!" Lime support Cherry, holding her own tears to give support to Cherry.

"Don't you dare come any closer!" threaten Bloodberry, and even in her child form, she has an expression of the lioness, her knee tremble in fear however, "I don't know why you look like me, but I'm not going to let you touch my father, not even his hair!"

"Cute. All of you." Ruby smirk, "You are out of your league, child. Now hand over Mamiya Otaru, for your own safety."

The three girls didn't move an inch; Ruby sigh, "Your funeral," she answer, and with a swift movement, the red haired hostile female automaton backhand Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry. All three girls shriek in pain.

Mamiya Otaru, who was too weak to do anything but to sit this one out, open his eyes wide when he heard the girls cried in pain. He could see the female automaton had just backhand his daughters. HIS. DAUGHTERS.

"Told you th-" Ruby couldn't finish her sentence when the sicken Mamiya Otaru rush in with a blood-shrieking battle cry. With the Lightning Jitsu in hand, Mamiya Otaru thrust the relic weapon against Ruby's belly, shocking the female automaton on the spot. Several thousands of electrical voltages are unleash into Ruby circuitry and sensitive mechanical mechanism, and with a fitting cry of pain, the female automaton desperately tries to remove the relic weapon with zero success. In a fitting rage, Mamiya Otaru not only prolong the weapon to discharge it's lethal volume of electricity into Ruby, he even push the weapon's extension button at the side of the handle, which penetrate through her body and damage whatever vital machinery on her lower body function. Ruby continues to scream in pain, enduring the dangerous voltage that is currently running across her body and messing with her internal system. When the Lightning Jitsu seemed to have blown a fuse, the shocked and static Ruby stood still like a statue, her system seemed to have fried beyond repair as burned smoke is coming out from her mouth, ears, eyes and nose.

Otaru didn't remove himself from the disable Ruby until he had taken a number of heavy breathing. Freeing his grip from his weapon, Otaru turn around to see his daughters condition - his heavy, aching heart now adds more burden to see his beloved daughters harmed and wounded, but now they are safe, thanks to Lorelei's quick action and thinking. The only female on Terra II gather all three girls, who are knocked unconscious by Ruby, assured that they will be fine. Otaru sigh in relieve.

Lorelei sunny smile quickly turn to shock and horror in a split second, and before Otaru knows it, he felt a powerful blow against the back of his head, with enough force to send the man flying and collide into the wall before falling back to the ground, face first. The folkhero of Japoness groan in pain, and before his vision blur out, he could see the red haired female marionette is still moving, looking very pissed off as she remove the Lightning Jitsu from her body before breaking it to two. Mamiya Otaru curse her in his mind before the world he knows it turns dark.

"I... I am so... so angry right now..." mumble Ruby, struggling herself as there are still a lingering jolt of electricity still running in her body, "I am going to kill you, your stupid human kids and whatever you held dear. I'll start with the three little brats."

"Not if I can help it!" a familiar voice cut through the air, and the former Gartland Saber Doll Tiger reappear into the fray as her electrical whip find its way around Ruby's neck, jolting the red-haired female marionette on the spot before whipping the her across the opposite side of the room. Ruby stood up, staring Tiger in a mix of anger and confusion. She growl angrily, "How?... How?!"

"Panther, Lush!" Tiger quickly addressed to her fellow sister, "Get up and help me here!"

"Ooh...Tiger?" Panther reply weakly, "How are you still functional?"

"Never mind that! Can you still fight?"

"Yeah, still owe that bitch a solid ass whooping" Panther gesture.

"Still, she's a lot stronger than Bloodberry, perhaps even surpass her," Lush got up as well, huffing and puffing in air, "Faster too, other than that, she is like an Uber version of Bloodberry."

"Does Uber even exist in a dictionary, Lush?" Panther question her indigo haired sister, which Lush roll her eyes under her hair.

"That's it!" Ruby roar in anger, "I had enough of this charade! I'm going to rip each of you apart with my bare hands!"

Ruby launch herself forward towards the three Saber Dolls from Gartland in a blur sprint, attempting to disable the Saber Dolls for good, starting from Lush. While Panther or Lush are not build to counter an attack faster than the speed of light, Tiger is fortunately are built with such extreme velocity in mind, and the brown short haired marionette manage to intervene the attack meant for Lush. Tiger stop the red haired marionette with a solid uppercut against her chin, catapulting her off the ground before she is being send to the floor by Panther's grapple. Growling and hissing menacingly, Ruby trash around her surroundings when several knife-like projectile nailed into Ruby's body, causing the hostile marionette roar in pain. Painting her target to Lush, who was responsible of the knife attack, Ruby attempt to rush in again, only to have Panther stopping her at her track when the long blonde marionette dislodge a section of the wall and crush Ruby under it. Under the crumble wall with a massive weight crushing down to her, Ruby groan aloud; she continue to subjugate herself that her kind can best three or more of this so-called Saber Marionette type model, though now her ideal are now being thrown out of the window.

Building up her rage, Ruby burst out from her confinement with a machine like roar. All three Saber Doll stood ready, half expecting that the red haired marionette are not down for the count. Rage and anger consume Ruby's logical judgement and began attacking all three Saber Doll at random. However, while Ruby trash around in a blind rage, all three Saber girls merely dodge around Ruby's attack. To add fuel into the fire, Tiger, Panther and Lush are giggling at Ruby

"WHAT SO FUNNY?!" Ruby scream, swinging her powered punch but meet nothing but air.

"Is this how I really look when I get this angry?" Panther ask childishly, reliving her memories when Mamiya Otaru were still a young lad and the three adorable young girls are still in marionette form, it also worth mentioning they were once enemies in the days of yore.

"Ha ha, down to that angry, teeth grinding, eye popping twitch." Tiger laugh, dodging another clumsy powered punch to the side, "This must be how Bloodberry and Lime would feel back then huh?"

"Which part? The childish laugh, the silly smile, or that they know how to spell the word fun?" Lush join in, twirling behind Ruby before pushing the red haired marionette to the front, causing Ruby's attack to miss on Panther.

"You low graded marionette!" Ruby repulse angrily, getting angrier and angrier with each attack miss and being teased at, "Why won't you fight back?!"

"Nothing really," Lush purr, "but it has something to do with stalling you here."

"Stalling..." Ruby let that word trail off before quickly surveying her surroundings. After a thorough scan throughout the area she became even more enrage; Mamiya Otaru is gone, along with Lorelei and that three young girls. They must have escaped through the wall Panther tear down earlier. They can't go far since they is nowhere near any exit other than to jump down several stories high building which could easily kill off the group. That is, until Baiko and Tamasaburo came into picture; both Advance Battle Saber which was previously damaged from the fight. Ruby curse under her breathe; Baiko and Tamasaburo must be still operational to even assist her target and his friends.

Ruby continue to curse herself for the action that had cause her to lose sight of her missionary objective, and from her previous action to subdue her target peacefully before going out of hand, she decides to bail out from the fight in order to locate her target, this time in an attempt to follow her objective to the letter.

Ruby throws herself towards Panther by surprise, nailing the long blonde female Saber Doll to the ground before she roll herself towards the crude crack opening. She was about to jump out when Tiger intervene her by grabbing the red haired marionette's long hair, earning the hostile marionette to cry in pain. Yanking her hair back into the building with a hard pull, Tiger ignore Ruby's painful cries and slams her against the opposite wall. Frustrated, the red haired marionette went berserk and randomly launch her attack which Tiger quickly parry them. Seeing that the red haired marionette's attack are now more random than usual, the former Gartland marionette quickly parry one of Ruby's attack, leaving her wide open for Tiger to secure Ruby around her neck before slamming the Bloodberry lookalike on the ground hard, anchoring her opponent on the ground. Ruby continue to struggle frantically on the ground, kicking and punching Tiger as she gasp for air till her struggling finally rewards her after several powered punch on her chest, freeing Tiger's grip on her.

Kicking Tiger out of the way, Ruby had no time to recover as Panther, feeling a little sore when Ruby tackle her down, uses a metal pipe as a makeshift weapon and bash Ruby to the face with a loud clang while Lush accurately throw more knife against the red haired marionette, puncture her more vital machine than before. With a mighty blow in the head and her body ravage by razor sharp knife in her body, Ruby can see a lot of systems diagnostic showing that she is now in the red, that the stress level on each section are now alerting her from imminent system shutdown, but she refuse to submit defeat - she let out an animalistic roar in pure rage and anger, rush into the closes Saber Doll and pin her on the ground...

...And began to tear her down, starting from her chest.

"Tiger!" Panther and Lush scream in horror as Ruby is tearing the brown short haired Saber Doll with her bare hands, causing Tiger to scream in pain. Pain receptors quickly alerted the brown haired marionette as Ruby digs into her artificial skin and tearing it with her hands. Tiger in her panic state uses her hand to stop Ruby from destroying her more delicate system, but the red haired marionette's bloodlust will not be denied - she grab Tiger's arm and violently yank the former Gartlands marionettes arm out of its socket. Tiger scream in pain, fear and helplessness.

However, before Lush and Panther could rush in to help, the Lime lookalike automaton suddenly appear behind Ruby, grapple her in place causing the berserk, bloodlust marionette to trash about, screaming and yelling words that cannot be understood. The unnamed marionette has rebuilt useable limbs into herself, through grotesque due to mending it hastily. Her calm face in light of handling the situation caught the attention on Panther, Lush and Tiger as she continue to drag the bloodthirsty Ruby away from the three Ex-Gartland Saber Doll. The red haired marionette continue to trash about, sometimes trying to reach the unnamed marionette with little success.

"L-lime?!" Panther cried in shocked, so as Lush. The unnamed marionette simply shook her head, smiling.

"Thank you for securing Mamiya Otaru," the nameless marionette said with a smile, "My mission is now complete, and now my existence is meaningless. As a token of appreciation, I bid you all goodbye."

"Wait... What are you doing?" Lush cried, her sensor is picking up a lot of heat signatures in her.

"I've overloaded my system and my core to 500% the normal minimal template. This unit will self-destruct in less than 15 seconds."

"Wait!"

"Minasan, Sayonara… (Goodbye everyone)" the Lime lookalike said with the sweetest smile she could mustered, and right before Tiger, Lush and Panther's eyes, the unnamed female automaton detonate with its captive host, reducing the hostile Ruby into little more than a heap of burning metal.

The emotional Tiger cried aloud in tears; she felt like she knows her like a long lost friend, and now, with no name to call out for, Tiger cried the one name that would associate with her, "LIIIMMMEE!"

* * *

><p><strong>End of Chapter 04<strong>

**Preview**

**Chapter 05 – Awaken**

Otaru's condition worsens, and without proper medical equipment, the Japoness folkhero is now one step closer to death. However, with the chaos of a new threat looming over the horizon and the 5 nation is pointing fingers at each other, Lorelei and the remaining leaders of Terra II is now searching for answers for such an unannounced and provoking assault. What they found only propel them to war against an unlikely enemy. Underneath all the trouble times, a young brilliant scientist from unknown origin reactivates the Saber Marionette Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry with their master, Otaru Mamiya leading the charge. The question is; how long has Otaru been away since his death?


End file.
